Hat's off to you, Swan
by Lorelei Candice Black
Summary: After S01E17. What if Emma went back to speak with Jefferson after taking the book from Henry? What if she was willing to reconsider things? He can help her and she can help him. Together, they change things, break the curse... I don't know where it will end... Review!
1. Chapter 1

**_Hat's off to you, Swan_**

_Emma/ Jefferson_

_Starts in season 1, episode 17_.

_Another 'What if' story..._

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After making sure that Regina saw Mary-Margaret in her cell and that nobody was in trouble, Emma went to the school to warn Henry that everything had been solved and when she saw Paige, the little girl Jefferson had claimed had been his daughter Grace back in the Enchanted Forest, something similar to an alarm bell rang in her mind, demanding that she focused her attention on it and refusing to let her think about anything else.

She asked Henry to see the book and quickly found the story that Jefferson claimed was his.

The little girl from the drawing, Grace, could be Paige.

Jefferson could be the Mad-hatter.

The scar around his neck could be from having had his head cut off in Wonderland by the Queen of Heart.

The curse could be real.

Could the curse be real? really? Could she be this saviors they were all hoping for?

"Can I keep this for a while?" Emma asked Henry as the warning bell of the school rang to tell him to head in class.

"Absolutely. Knock yourself out." Henry smiled and nodded before he ran off, happy to be making progress.

Emma stayed a while sitting on her bench, reading the book until she decided to close it and go back to the place she had tried to run from the entire night. It was now right before lunch and she couldn't get herself to eat anything before she got the answers she wanted.

Parking in front of the large house, she noticed that the window that had been opened upstairs earlier was now closed and that there was a light shining through the living room window. So he had, somehow, survived the fall and gone back inside, it was good to know.

Nervously, she raised her hand and knocked on the door three times before she rang on the doorbell twice and knocked twice more.

"Knocking or ringing the doorbell alone is often enough, you know." Jefferson told her as he opened the door.

"Force of habit... in case the doorbell doesn't work or people didn't ear me the first time around. " She shrugged her shoulders.

"Didn't expect to see you here again so soon. Came to arrest me, Sheriff?" He sounded resigned, hopeless and it broke her heart a little to know that she was the cause of it.

"No. I came to talk. I'm not sure if I'm ready to believe in the curse but I'm willing to listen." She replied.

"Then please, be my guest and come on in." He said with a surprised smile, moving to the side and letting her inside his big house.

Jefferson led Emma to the living room and offered her a seat on the couch. He sat in the opposite armchair, placing the coffee table safely between them to make things easier on the both of them.

"Can I offer you some tea?"

"No thanks, I've had enough earlier. No offence." She shook her head.

"None taken. I guess I could have gone about things differently… I just got desperate, saw an opportunity and took it." He explained shortly.

"Yeah… I think I get it." She nodded as she placed Henry's book on the coffee table between them.

"You want something to eat? I could make us a couple of sandwiches or something..." he offered, trying to be a good host.

"I can't eat anything right now but thanks." she shook her head.

"So...What's with the book?" He asked her.

"This morning I went to see Henry at school to tell him that Mary-Margaret was safely back in her cell and Paige got my attention when she greeted him. I asked to see his book and found your story. The little girl from the drawing could be Paige and I guess you could be the Mad-Hatter… I… I guess I… I don't know… Maybe I'm ready to try and believe, especially if breaking this stupid curse is the way to prove that my friend is innocent." Emma explained.

"You mean your mother? And of course she's innocent. One way or another, Regina is behind all of this. She's probably not working alone either." He assured Emma as he turned the pages of the book until he fell face to face with his own story.

"You've been watching the town from here. Do you know who's working with her? What happened to Katherine? How to solve this?" Emma asked him.

"All I can tell you is that Sydney Glass is still working for Regina, no matter what he told you. He can't be trusted. Back in our world, he enchanted himself into a magic mirror so he could be by Regina's side forever and watch over her, help her. He's madly in love with her, no matter what realm we're in and that's causing him to be blind and to let her use him any way she wants." Jefferson explained to Emma.

"He's been helping me solving this case…looking for clues..." She protested.

"If I were you I'd double check every piece of information he gave you. He is capable of faking a lot of things. He has the contacts and Regina has the influence. Together, they can do a lot of damages."

"I… I will." She nodded.

"I wish I could help you more, especially if it helps you believe but I've been especially busy watching over Grace… making sure that she was alright and that Regina didn't hurt her…" He apologized.

"I understand, don't worry… I… If this curse is real… Mary-Margaret is my mother and I wasn't abandoned because they didn't want me but because they didn't have a choice and they wanted to give me my best chance… like I did with Henry. Without this curse, I would have grown up with my parents… I would have known what it's like to be loved and to have a family… I wouldn't have had to give up Henry…" Emma whispered.

It didn't cross her mind that if she hadn't been abandoned, she wouldn't have met Neal and would have never had Henry either.

"Yours is not the only happy ending that was taken. Regina took a lot from everyone around here." Jefferson nodded.

"How do you think I can break this curse?" She asked him.

"I think the first step is to believe, strongly. Then probably something like a leap of faith or something… You'd have to ask the Dark One." He told her.

"Who's that? I mean, I know who he is in the book, Henry told me. But here, in town, who is he?" Emma asked him.

"All powerful man, collect things that belong to others… Isn't it obvious? M. Gold is the Dark One."

"I guess it makes sense, yes…" Emma nodded.

"Are you willing to try and make a hat that works now, then?" He asked her.

"According to the book, the curse took everyone here because it's a land without magic." Emma told him, turning the pages to show him the passages where she had read the information.

"But you're the savior, the product of True Love. That makes you magical. True Love is the most powerful magic of all, trust me. I've seen it at work several times. You have magic and you're the only one who can use it here." He assured her.

"I'm not even sure I believe still…. But fine, let's try." She finally agreed.

"Really?" he was surprised.

"Yeah, why not. Not now though, I have to go and try to work on freeing Mary-Margaret before it gets too out of hand, check over everything I've found so far with Sydney and try to find out what he's trying to hide from me." She said as she stood up, taking Henry's book in her hands as she did so.

"Do you… Do you need help?" He asked her.

"You want to help? Why?" She asked him, surprised.

"Well, I've been locked up all alone in this house for over 28 years and before that I was locked in a room in Wonderland, forced to make hats for the Queen of Hearts in hopes that eventually, one will work as a portal. I'll welcome any company who isn't a wicked or evil queen - witch trying to use me to hurt other people." She shrugged his shoulders.

"Can I trust you?" She asked him, knowing that she'd be able to detect his lie.

"Yes, You can trust me Emma." He nodded.

"Fine, come with me then." She nodded and he joined her in her car and to the station.

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For the next few days, Emma and Jefferson spent a lot of time together, working on the case and on Emma's beliefs.

Henry immediately took a strong liking to the Mad-Hatter and to thank him for trying to make Emma believe, and succeeding, he invited Paige to join them for ice cream a couple of time after school, using the excuse of working on a project together and of being supervised by Emma and Jefferson while they worked.

Of course they had to do this while hiding from Regina and Paige couldn't know that Jefferson was really her father, she simply thought that she was hanging out with Henry but Jefferson was happy to be able to spend time with her, even if it wasn't as real as he wished it to be.

In only a few days, they managed to arrest Sydney for faking clues and prove that Mary-Margaret wasn't guilty. They wouldn't seem to find evidence that Regina was behind it all for now but they were confident that they would find a way to do it eventually. They had even found Katherine locked in the basement of an isolated house on the town's line, in the middle of the woods, that apparently belonged to no-one. She had been drugged but was alive, which was a very good thing for everyone.

You couldn't arrest someone for murdering a person who was still alive. Mary-Margaret was free and Emma was now concentrating on bringing Regina down, one way or another.

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**At first, it was a 5 000 words long one shot. Then I added a couple of words and before I knew it, it was 11 000 words long so I decided to turn it onto a multi-chapter fic. I hope you'll like it.**

**I know that this theme had been explored before but not by me. I haven't even read many fiction in that category before.**

**Don't forget to tell me what you honestly think in a review.**

**Check out my other stories!**

**Lorelei Candice Black.**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Part 2_**

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"So, Emma, you and Jefferson are pretty close now, right?" Henry asked her at Mary-Margaret's welcome back party, the day after the good teacher was released.

"I guess we are, why?" She asked him.

"I mean, really, really close?" Henry asked her with a knowing smile.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked him with a soft blush slowly rising on her cheek when she noticed that Jefferson was speaking with August in a far corner of the apartment and thankfully couldn't hear them talking right now.

Henry told her that August was Pinocchio earlier that day and the man came to her and confessed that he had gone through the same wardrobe she did and that he was turning back into wood because he had failed in his task to guide her and to get her to believe.

He had asked for her forgiveness and she gave it to him, not sure if she really believed him until he showed her his leg, which she had to admit was wooden. He thought that breaking the curse was the key for him to turn back into a man but she had her doubts. She also felt like there was more that he wasn't telling her. He felt guilty, that was certain but she felt like his guilt came from more than just leaving her alone in their first group home.

Whatever tortured him that he was hiding also concerned her, she could feel it. Either way, she wasn't going to insist, she had other things in mind at the moment and she figured that he must have his reasons to keep whatever his secret was.

If he was turning into wood because he failed in his mission, then the only way to turn back into a man would be for him to either complete it, which was too late now, or to do something to make up for it. She didn't believe that breaking the curse or her forgiving him would be enough but he was a grown man and she couldn't force him to be completely honest. If he hadn't learned that Honesty was the key to everything yet, she couldn't help him. It was something he needed to learn on his own.

Shaking her head, she forced herself not to think about this for the time being and concentrated on her son, who seemed to have something on his mind. Something that she feared had very little to do with Mission Cobra and everything to do with her love life.

"You'd make a good couple." Henry assured her and he nodded his head toward Jefferson, who was now laughing with August.

"Wow, you're getting a bit ahead of yourself there kid. We get along well, we're friends. That's it." She told him.

She didn't have time in her life for Love. Neal had left her quite damaged in that department and she needed to focus and this curse thing. She didn't have time for Love, Henry had to understand that.

"Why? I can see you like him a lot and he loves you too, I know it. Why can't you open up to him?" Henry asked her.

"It's complicated, kid." She tried to wave it off.

How could she explain everything to him when she had made the mistake of lying about his father in the first place? How could she fix it now and make him understand that she couldn't trust anyone with her heart?

"Please, I need to know. At least help me understand why." Henry pleaded and Emma knew that she couldn't resist him, not when he looked at her this way.

"Come here, kid." She asked him to sit down by her side on the steps of the little loft and told him:

"What I told you about your father, when you asked me about him… I lied to you. I'm sorry… I know I shouldn't have and that it's wrong but... I just didn't want you to know that your father had nothing of a hero, of someone to be proud of being related to… I wanted you to be proud when you thought of him... and I wanted to protect myself because even today, after all these years, it still hurts me to think of him and to speak about him." Emma paused and looked down, feeling the tears coming already and trying to hide then from her son, who was perceptive enough to hand her a paper towel discreetly.

At least he didn't seem to be too angry at her for lying, he seemed willing to listen to her. She kept on talking, deciding that if she wanted him to completely understand, she needed to be honest with him. After all, she couldn't blame August for not being honest and keeping secrets from her, about her when she was doing the same to her son.

"He was a bad guy… A thief who broke my heart and let me go to jail to pay for a crime he committed. He was the first person I let myself be open with, trust... I loved him and I trusted him and he broke my heart and my trust, forcing me to do what I had sworn to myself I would never do: put a child through the same system I had been through. He shattered my confidence, ruined the happy place I was in..." Emma explained to Henry, tears still running down her cheeks at the mention of the story, showing her son just how hurtful this story still was to her.

"I understand… But why can't you trust Jefferson with your heart? Not every guy is going to be like my dad…" Henry asked her wisely.

Emma sighted and grabbed the Swan key-chain she had around her neck.

"You see this key-chain? Your father got it for me one day, meaning he stole it of course… I use to wear it because it was a symbol of our love. Now I wear it as a reminder not to trust people, not to let anyone in if I don't want to get hurt. It's a constant reminder that people lie and that my gift doesn't always work when it comes to matters of the heart. It's a reminder that when you let people in, you give them the stick they can beat you with." Emma explained to Henry as she showed the small silver chain to him.

"Maybe it's time for a change. You're home now, living with your mom and close to breaking the curse. Maybe my dad had a reason for leaving you, maybe he didn't. It's in the past. But I think it's time you put him in the past and moved on. Don't you think you deserve to be happy too? I understand that you have a hard time trusting other people but you can trust yourself, right? And me. You can trust me. I know that Jefferson won't hurt you. I just know it." Henry told her.

"When did you get so wise?" Emma chuckled as she put her arm around his shoulder and hugged him to her side.

"So, are you going to give him a chance?" Henry asked her.

"Maybe, yes. I think you're right, it's time for me to move on." Emma said before she paused and pulled the chain from around her neck, placing it in the palm of her hand.

She looked at the small silver swan for a while, deep in thought, seeing Neal's face in her head as he promised her a new start in Tallahassee and remembering the empty feeling that settled in her heart after he had turned her in. The pain and disappointment she felt when he didn't seek her out when she got out of jail, when he didn't write to her were still fresh in her heart. Could she move past them? Was she ready?

"What was his name?" Henry asked and they both knew who he was talking about.

"Neal. Neal Cassidy." Emma replied before she turned to him and placed the chain in his own hand.

"You wanted something of your dad's. That's all I have. You're right, it's time for me to let go of the past and move on. I want to believe that he could have been a good guy though, that my instincts didn't betray me and that he had a good reason to lie to me. I don't know much about his life, only that he had a father that he loved and who changed, that he ran away from home and regretted it ever since. I know that he wasn't lying when he told me that he was looking for Home. I want to believe that he would have been good with you, that he would have been a good dad... I want to you keep this Swan. It can be the only link you have to your father and a reminder that I love you, that I'm sorry for giving you up and that _you_ can get anyone to believe. That if things had been different, you'd have been a Swan too and that i'm here to stay, that I'll never leave you ever again." Emma smiled at him before she kissed his forehead.

"Thanks!" Henry exclaimed with a bright smiled before he placed the Swan key-chain around his neck and hid it under his shirt so that Regina didn't see it and couldn't take it away from him.

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Emma was about to go and talk to Jefferson when David arrived and she used the excuse that Henry needed to be driven home so that her '_father'_ could give Mary-Margaret the time she needed, making sure he knew that he just needed to give her some time to calm down, that he shouldn't give up on their love. She didn't want to see her parents apart for too long. Knowing that her mother had had a one night stand with Doctor Whale was hard enough, she didn't want it to grow into something else.

After David left with Henry, agreeing to drive him back to Regina's discreetly, she walked up to Jefferson who was now serving two glasses of juice, one of them being for her. He had seen her arrive and was ready to talk with her. She liked it. He always seemed to be able to anticipate her next action.

"You and Henry seemed to have had quite an intense talk over there. Are you okay?" He noticed as he handed her one of the glasses.

She knew that he had seen her tears and that he wanted to know if she needed to talk, if she was fine.

"It's always intense when the subject of his father comes up." She replied.

"Is everything alright?" he asked her, concerned.

"Better than alright. We cleared things up and I think I can finally put everything in the past, where it belongs." She assured him and she couldn't help but smile at him in a more open way.

He could feel it.

Emma was ready to love, she was more open to him than earlier and he was happy because staying away from her was becoming harder every day. The bond they had was strong and true, but then again, with her being the product of True Love, was there anyone she couldn't create a True Bond with if she put her heart to it?

"So, I was thinking, maybe now that Mary-Margaret is free, I could come over tomorrow and we could try and work on your hat?" She offered him.

"You still want to try that?" he asked her, surprised.

"Don't you?" She frowned.

"Well, I want you to believe and to break the curse so I can get my daughter back, but I'm not so sure I want to leave anymore. Storybrook isn't so bad when I come to think of it. It could be home." He replied truthfully, noticing the relieved smile on her face.

He had reassured her about his intention. He wouldn't leave her as soon as he could, he was here to stay, as long as he had her and his daughter. He knew that she had gotten the hidden message, it was obvious in her smile.

"Well, making a portal jumping hat would definitely make me believe." She chuckled.

"Well, come over whenever and we'll work on it. I'm always happy to spend time with you, you know that." He smiled softly and she could see that he had noticed it, her being open, the fact that she was ready.

He had seen it and taken the opening. Henry was right, as he often was. Jefferson had feelings for her and they might be getting somewhere.

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**So, what do you think?**

**As you can see, August is still hiding something... We won't see much of him for now though.**

**Don't forget to review, you know how much I love reading your reviews.**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	3. Chapter 3

**_Part 3_**

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Over the next couple of days, Emma spent every minute she wasn't working at the station, bonding with Mary-Margaret or with Henry, trying to make a hat that worked with Jefferson. They had gotten a lot closer and making the hat wasn't their main occupation anymore. They actually worked very little on it. In two days and over 10 hours spent together, they hadn't even managed to finish one hat.

They had gotten really close, really fast.

"This morning I heard from M. Clark at the store that you threatened to take Henry away from Regina last night when you ran into her." Jefferson told her on the morning of their 4th day together right after kissing her hello.

She was coming to have breakfast with him before going to work and he already had everything prepared. He had outdone himself. Pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, muffins... It looked like he had cooked breakfast for an entire family instead of just the two of them.

"It wasn't an empty threat. I _am_ going to take him away from her. He's my son, not hers. She doesn't care about him, no really, I can feel it when she lies. She thinks I don't believe in the curse and that I mean to do it legally, which she knows I can't without years of procedures." Emma started.

"But you aren't?"

"No. I'm going to find a way to break the curse and then she'll go to jail for everything she's done to everyone and Henry will be mine." Emma explained.

"That's a good enough plan… Do you think you could find a way to break it in the next hour or so?" he asked her nervously.

"Why? What's going on?" She asked him, realizing all of the sudden how nervous he looked and how tensed he had been ever since she came in.

Maybe him cooking too many things for breakfast was a sign. She was worried for him, for them. Something had happened and she needed to find out what it was to help him.

"Regina placed a White Rabbit card on the back of Grace's bike. She knows I'm watching her every morning. She wants to meet me in an hour and I have a feeling that it's not to help you." He sighted.

"What do you think she wants?" Emma asked him.

"I have no clue but I don't think it's anything good. I don't want to help her Emma, I don't even want to go and meet her but if I don't…" he started and stopped.

He truly looked torn.

"If you don't she'll hurt Grace… You should go and see what she wants. Don't take any risks and do whatever she asks of you. Who knows what she's capable of doing to Grace of you don't listen to her. Just… Warn me afterwards, okay?" Emma asked him softly as she snuggled into his arms to show him that she understood, that she wasn't mad and that it would ruin their relationship.

"You know I will." He nodded, relieved that she understood his position and that she knew she could trust him.

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Jefferson went to meet with Regina and when he was done doing what Regina needed of him, he met up with Emma and Henry in secret, at the station.

He told them what had happened, what she had promised him and what she had gotten from him. An Apple. No, THE apple. The apple she had used against Snow White all theses years ago.

Of course she had kept his hat, refusing to give it back to him, even though it was his right to keep it, even though she had no right to it. She had refused to give him his daughter back, pretending that she'd do it once she'd had the proof that her apple would work. How was it fair that he had to wait for her to complete her plan? She was a manipulative liar and he was glad to be on Emma's side. Regina would go down soon and she'd pay for all her lies.

It was lunch and Emma had gotten the three of them take out from Granny's so they could speak in private.

"Who does she want to poison with this apple?" Henry asked Jefferson.

"My best guess? Emma. She's afraid for her curse because her apple tree is dying. She wants Emma out of the way and apparently, she doesn't know we're together." He replied.

"Well, I'm not eating anything with apples in it anymore, even at Granny's, so there's that." Emma sighted.

"I'm surprised she doesn't know about the two of you... She always knows everything..." Henry noticed.

"Maybe she doesn't care enough to spy on Jefferson, or maybe she's been too busy hiding every piece of evidence I could find against her to worry about my love life." Emma suggested.

"Maybe." Henry and Jefferson nodded.

"There's something else… I think we can get Gold on our side… get him to want to help us against the Queen." He started to say.

"How?" Henry asked.

"By giving him his love back. Belle, she's alive and locked away by Regina. While I was in her office before we went to her vault, I saw papers on her desk, she probably forgot to hide them… or she thought I wouldn't notice or that I wouldn't care… Anyway, she has Belle locked in the basement of the hospital, in an illegal psychiatric ward. If we free her and bring her to Gold, he'd be more than willing to help us." Jefferson explained.

"Let's go then. Let's do it." Henry exclaimed as he stood up.

"Hey kid, you can't help us. Your lunch break is almost over. You need to go back to school." Emma protested.

"But…" Henry started to protest.

"Don't worry, we'll handle it. You go ahead and go to school. " Jefferson assured Henry who sighted, nodded and ran off to school, unwilling to contradict or upset the man who was in good position to become his step-father some day.

Plus, he had appointed himself a new mission until the curse broke: protect Paige from being used by Regina. The girl might become his sister some day and he needed to keep her safe. It was a brother's task, right?

.

Emma and Jefferson left for the hospital and Emma used her Sheriff's status to enter the closed quarters of the hospital's basement.

Apparently, Belle was the only patient locked in those rooms, all the others were completely empty, and when Emma asked to see the paperwork that made her admission legal, the nurse couldn't provide them, saying that Regina handled everything and that she had been told it was a private matter.

It was enough for Emma.

She arrested the nurse, mainly for questioning since she doubted she was more than a manipulated employee and freed Belle, who didn't have any memories of who she was or where she came from.

"Your name is Belle. Don't worry, we'll bring you to someone who knows you. I know that you're confused right now but it will all make sense soon." Emma assured her softly.

Before going to Gold's shop, they stopped at the sheriff's station and took the Nurse's statement, along with Belle's and once the nurse was in her cell, Emma and Jefferson took Belle to the Pawnbroker's shop. It hadn't taken them very long to do everything, no more than a couple of hours.

"Wait here with Jefferson for a minute Belle. I'll talk to him. Prepare him for the shock." Emma told the confused woman who nodded.

Emma left Belle and Jefferson in the front room of the shop while she joined M. Gold in the back room, warning him that she was coming.

"Miss Swan. What can I do for you today? Are you here to ask for my help in your upcoming custody battle with Regina?" he asked her.

He was a lawyer after all and he would be more than happy to put the Evil Queen back in her place.

"I see that word travels fast around here. That's not why I'm here though. Regina got Jefferson to bring her a poisoned apple from the Enchanted Forest using his hat. She's planning on using it on me." Emma told him.

"Ah, we've got ourselves a believer then. Are you looking for some sort of antidote against the poison of the apple? Because that's not easy to come by..." he asked her, already turning toward his shelves.

"No, I'm smarter than to eat or drink anything she offers me now. I want to know how to break the curse." Emma asked him.

"Only you can do it Miss Swan. It has to come from the deepest part of your heart. I don't know the specifics. Trust me, I want this curse broken as well and if I knew of a short cut, I'd tell you about it." He told her.

"I believe you… The real reason I'm here though... Well, Jefferson found something out today while in Regina's office… Something Regina has been hiding from you… or rather… someone." Emma started.

"What are you talking about Miss Swan?" He asked her, confused.

"There is no easy way to say it without causing you a shock so… Regina lied to you when she said that Belle was killed. She has been keeping her prisoner in her tower and after the curse broke, she was locked in the asylum basement under the hospital. We went to find her, broke her out. She has no memories, like after David woke up from his coma but I think that you can bring her memories of Belle forward instead of cursed ones if you help her focus on the right facts…" Emma told him, shocked at seeing this confident man look so moved all of the sudden.

"She's alive? Belle is here?" he asked Emma in a small, almost broken, voice as he took a couple of steps back, as if he had been slapped hard across the face.

"Yes, she's waiting in the other room with Jefferson."

"Why didn't you bring her to her father, why bring her to me?" he asked her, surprised.

"Because her father, M. french, right? Well, he's cursed and doesn't remember her. Because I think that you deserve to know the truth. Because I want to establish a peaceful enough relationship between us for after I break the curse." She explained.

"What is your deal Miss Swan? You know I'll agree to anything as long as I get to have my Belle back." He sighted.

"No dark evil plan. Now that I believe, I know you created the curse to find your son who's apparently in this world. I've read it in the book. I'm guessing that the favor you tricked out of me is because you want my help finding him. It's what I'm good at, after all. So here's my deal. You get Belle back, I help you find your son when the time comes. You don't hurt people, you don't go immediately to the dark response if something happens. You try to be better and you're honest with me when something happens. We're allies now. On the same side. Clean start." She offered him.

"Just like that?" he asked her.

"Just like that." She nodded.

"Very well Miss Swan. We have a deal and you've got yourself a new friend." He nodded and shook her hand.

Smiling, Emma guided Gold to the front room of his shop and introduced Belle to him.

"You'll be safe here with him, Belle. He'll make sure that Regina doesn't get to you and that you get your memories back." Emma told the woman softly.

"Thanks you Sheriff."

"You can call me Emma." The Savior smiled before she left the shop with Jefferson.

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**Wow, I didn't expect that you would be so numerous to like this story, I'm touched. Thank you so much!**

**The curse will be broken soon.**

**Until then, please give me more reviews, it makes me update faster to see them all.**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Part 4_**

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"How does it feel to fix yet another Happy Ending Regina worked so hard to ruin?" Jefferson asked her later as they sat at Granny's, waiting for Henry to get out of his therapy session to tell him what had happened.

They both knew that he'd enjoy this small victory. He always loved to see Good win against Evil, especially since this evil was his adoptive mother. Since they knew he'd be there soon and that he wouldn't have much time before he had to go back to Regina's, Emma had already ordered him a hot chocolate, just the way he liked it.

"Pretty good. Now if only I knew how to bring them all back and break the curse, that would be perfect." She sighted.

When Henry joined them a few minutes later, he was happy to learn that everything had gone well and that they had won. He, too, had some good news to share with them.

"I saw Mary-Margaret and David in the street on the way here. They were talking together, laughing and coming this way. Isn't that great? They're getting back together!" Henry told them when they were done telling him the good news.

"Yes it is." Emma smiled.

"So, are you going to arrest Regina for locking Belle in?" Henry asked her curiously as he sipped from his cup, completely forgetting that he was supposed to be home already.

"I'm waiting for a warrant to search her office. Unfortunately, it'll give her time to hide or destroy evidence as I'm sure someone will end up warning her before I come. There's not much that I can do until I get proofs or break the curse. I can't lock her in without a good motive and the evidence to back it up and I have to obtain the evidence legally." Emma explained.

"You'll find a way. I know you will. Good always wins. You showed me that." Henry assured her.

"Henry! What are you doing here? You were supposed to come home right after your session with Doctor Hopper. I thought I was clear when I told you to stay away from that woman!" Regina yelled at Henry as soon as she opened the door of the dinner with a loud bang, bringing all eyes on her, along with a few angry glares.

"Let him be." Emma protested as she stood up, Jefferson protectively by her side.

From the corner of her eyes, she could see her parents standing up as well, ready to defend the woman they thought was only their good friend and sheriff. When she came to think about it, everyone in the dinner seemed ready to defend her and it warmed her heart. They all looked angry at Regina, especially Granny. You didn't go banging doors in her establishment without suffering the consequences of it.

"You have no right over him Miss Swan, not since you gave him up 10 years ago. He's **my** son and you're forbidden to go anywhere near him. And you, Jefferson. You might want to be careful who you hang out with. I thought you were smarter than to cross me." Regina replied smugly.

"Don't. Threaten. Me." He said as he glared at the woman who had ripped his happiness away and was trying to ruin the one he had just rebuilt.

"It's you who should be careful, you won't have that smug grin on your face much longer. You're coming down Regina. I **will** prove everything you've done. I'll prove that you framed Mary-Margaret, I'll prove that you pushed Sydney to take the fall for what happened to Katherine, I'll prove that you faked papers to lock poor innocent Belle away just so you could hurt Gold. I'll prove it all and take everything away from you the same way you've taken everything away from everyone around here." Emma told the woman, trying to stay as calm as possible, knowing that everyone was watching her.

"Are you threatening me, Miss Swan?" Regina glared.

"Yes, I am." Emma replied confidently.

"There's nothing you can do against me. Absolutely nothing." Regina whispered after walking closer to Emma and grabbing Henry's arm, pulling him away harshly.

"No! Let me, go! You're hurting me! You just want to poison her so she doesn't break your curse. You're evil. I hate you. Let me go! Emma! Mom! Don't let her take me!" Henry yelled, tears in his eyes as he managed to break free of Regina's tight grasp at the last word and rushed in Emma's open arms.

"Everything will be alright Henry. I promise you, I will fix this. I will break the curse and get you away from that woman. Don't worry. Until then, keep the Swan Henry and remember that I love you. I love you and I'm not going anywhere." Emma promised him in his ear as she hugged him close to her heart.

She had placed one hand over his heart as she spoke, where she knew the key-chain pendant was hiding and he nodded.

Then Regina grabbed Henry's arm once more and Emma barely had the time to kiss his forehead before Regina pulled him away from her once more but it was enough to send a strong wave of True Love's magic all over the town, breaking the curse.

"Oh my god… Emma... Our baby... She did it!" Mary-Margaret exclaimed.

"She broke the curse!" Granny exclaimed happily, along with several other people.

"I... I did?" Emma asked as she turned around and looked at her parents, who nodded at her with tearful eyes.

"No… It's impossible… No!" Regina protested angrily.

"Well, I guess this changes everything. Henry, go stand with Mary-Margaret and David. Regina, you're under arrest. I don't know how things happened back in the Enchanted Forest but I'm the sheriff here and you're going to pay for everything that you've done to everyone, including the bruises that are just now starting to form on Henry's arm." Emma said, grabbing the Queen before she could run away.

Henry nodded and went to stand between his grandparents while his biological mother captured his adoptive mother.

"Right, because an execution is the perfect first family outing. Great example for your son. It'll make your parents so proud." Regina said sarcastically while she rolled her eyes.

"Who said anything about an execution? Unlike you, I'm not a murderer and have _never_ killed anyone. The town will decide your fate Regina, it's only fair." Emma snapped.

In Emma's head, Graham's face came up at that moment. Regina had caused his death. He didn't die of a heart attack but because Regina had crushed his heart. She was responsible for his death and she would pay for it.

"I don't need a mirror on the wall to tell me that Emma is the fairest of them all." Henry tried to joke to lighten the mood, making a reference to the traditional version of Snow White's tale.

"Stay here with Mar... I mean, with... My... Stay with your grandparents while I lock Regina up. I'll be right back." Emma told Henry softly, looking for the right way to call her parents.

Snow and Charming? Mom and dad? Mary-Margaret and David? How was she supposed to call them?

"Don't worry Emma, he'll be safe with us. We'll wait here for you to come back." David assured her and in his eyes, she could see a familiarity she had looked for her entire life in stranger's eyes.

"I won't be long." She nodded and, making a last minute decision, went to hug them all.

.

"Emma, I'm going to try and find Grace before she worries too much... I have to apologize and explain to her why I didn't come back..." Jefferson told Emma as he walked with her and Regina out of the dinner.

"Of course. Don't worry, she'll understand and she'll forgive you. I know it." Emma assured him.

"Or she'll be angry and decide to stay with the people she's with now because you broke your promise and wasn't home in time for tea." Regina smirked.

"Didn't I mention that you had the right to remain silent? I suggest you use it before I change my mind about executions." Emma replied before she turned back toward her worried boyfriend:

"Don't listen to her, she doesn't know what she's talking about. She knows nothing of family. I mean, this is a woman who killed her own father, the only person who still loved her, in order to hurt thousands of people. She knows nothing. Grace loves you and will forgive you. She'll understand that it wasn't your fault and that you were only trying to do what was best for her. It'll be fine, I know it." Emma smiled and he replied with a smile of his own.

"You're right. We'll both see you later at Granny's to celebrate?" he asked her and she nodded.

"If it takes you too long and you decide you just want to go home it's fine, just send me a message so I know how it went."

"Of course. I love you Emma." He told her before he turned around.

"Love you too." She replied.

"How charming! You're going to make me sick. Is this my punishment? Because even I wasn't so cruel." Regina snapped and Emma rolled her eyes and without answering, she guided the Evil Queen to the new cell.

Once there, she freed the nurse, asking her to come back the next day to tell her everything she remembered that Regina did. Of course the good nurse agreed and left to reunite with her loved ones.

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**You know what to do.**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Part 5_**

* * *

When Emma came back from the station after having locked up Regina in one of the cells, Gold was at Granny's with the others and Belle who had regained her memory at the same time everyone else did.

"Will Regina be able to break free using magic?" Emma asked him.

"No, she won't. True Love's magic is the only magic from our world that can reach into this one. There is no magic in this land for us, not yet." Gold replied.

"What do you mean _not yet_?" David asked, hugging his daughter to his side.

They would have time to talk later, right now he just wanted to have his daughter by his side, even if she wasn't the baby he had carried to safety anymore. He couldn't be more proud of her, of what she had managed to accomplish even though her life hadn't been easy.

"We're stuck here for now because that's how I designed the curse so I'd be able to find my son once it's broken. I don't know what would happen if someone tried to leave town right now... If we want to go back to the Enchanted Forest, I'll need to bring magic back in order to destroy the curse and bring us all back home. I might need to bring it back before that, just to see what's going to happen, if we're safe and to locate my son..." Gold explained.

"How do you intend to do that? Bring back magic I mean?" Henry asked curiously.

"Your grandfather stored something for me." Gold smiled.

"The egg in Maleficent's dragon form." David nodded in realization.

"Yes. Regina trapped her here in her dragon form. She's locked in a large basement under the clock tower. But I guess we don't need to get it right away." The Dark one smiled.

"No, today we celebrate. Tomorrow we deal with Regina. Once our Regina problem is solved, we'll bring back magic, locate your son, get him to give you a second chance and then we'll worry about going back to the Enchanted Forest." Emma decided.

"I like that plan." Snow nodded her approval.

"The dwarfs went to investigate what happens when we cross the town line, we'll know the answer to that later." David informed them.

"It might have been safer to wait until I have magic to do it safely... I hope nothing too bad happens." Gold replied.

"If you created the curse, how come you don't know the consequences of it?" Henry asked him.

"Because if I created the curse, Regina cast it and with it, she decided on the side effects. Even I can't know everything." He sighted.

"It'll be fine Rumpel. We'll find your son and he'll understand that you've changed. He'll give you another chance." Belle reassured him.

Emma was sitting in a booth with her son and her parents, talking and laughing like a real family when she got a message on her cell phone.

"Is there a problem?" David asked her.

"No, not at all. It was Jefferson. He found Grace easily and they talked. He says that they're fine but their reunion was emotionally tiring because of the whole Regina betrayal thing. He's staying home with her tonight but he's inviting the 4 of us for breakfast at his place tomorrow morning." Emma explained.

"Meeting the boyfriend... Cool. Your mother and I will be there." David smiled.

"Right, didn't think about that... Well, here's to new firsts, right?" Emma asked with a small smile as she rose her beer.

"With all the firsts we've missed, I'm just glad we can still have a few of them." Snow said softly.

"I like Jefferson. His life wasn't easy but he's still here. He's a fighter. A survivor." Henry declared.

"He did kidnap me to get Emma to make a hat though, so I'm not sure he's that sane..." Snow confessed her worries.

"He was desperate... Try to put yourself in his place. You didn't see those 28 years go by, he did. He relived each day over and over again for 28 years, unable to leave his house, separated from his daughter with the memories of everything he's had to endure while in Wonderland with the Queen of Hearts who cut his head off when she was angry at him and put it back in later... He wanted to go home, he wanted a solution and he jumped on the first idea he got..." Emma tried to explain.

"I understand, don't worry." Snow smiled.

"I'll be happy to get to know him better." David nodded, showing his daughter that he understood and that he'd try to approve of her boyfriend.

The rest of the night was spent celebrating and Emma got officially introduced to everyone who mattered by her parents.

"Well, it's a good thing we weren't brought back home because she wouldn't have fit in her crib anymore." Ruby joked just as Leroy and a couple of the dwarfs came back running, telling them that if someone crossed the town line, they lost every memory they had just regained.

"Don't worry, Gold will bring magic back and with Magic, we'll be able to give Sneezy his memories back." Snow reassured her friend, the dwarf she loved like a big brother.

"Maybe I can do it... Jefferson said that I'm the only one who has magic right now, that because I'm the product of True Love, I can use Magic... Maybe I can give him his memories back as well..." Emma offered.

The Dark One, who hadn't been too far, came and offered his help. While Grumpy and Happy held Sneezy (who was sure he was just M. Clark) in place, Emma grabbed his hands and concentrated, just like Gold was telling her.

"Your magic comes from Love, concentrate on it. Fill yourself with Love. Magic is ruled by feelings, not thoughts. Don't think, feel. You don't need your head here, only your heart. Let it go, let it all go free." He instructed her.

"Oh my God..." Snow exclaimed as a pure white light came from her daughter's hands and slowly shone on Sneezy.

"That's the purest magic I've ever seen in my entire life..." Blue exclaimed.

Emma smiled and concentrated on the memories she wanted to return to the man and it happened, just like that.

"Well, that was interesting..." Emma said once it was over and Sneezy thanked her for his memories and went to get himself a beer with his brothers.

"I've never seen anything like it... I knew that True Love was powerful but I didn't know that the product of True Love could be this powerful..." Snow whispered in awe at her daughter.

"She's definitely powerful enough to hold her own against me if I get off track. Which is a good thing. My dagger is hidden in a safe place right now but in case someone evil gets his hands on it, I should train Emma so she can stop me." He offered and she nodded.

"So we're bringing back magic earlier?" Henry asked him.

"I think it would be best." Gold nodded.

"So do I. How do we get this potion you stored? Do I have to fight her again?" David asked.

"What's in this potion exactly?" Blue asked.

"Why True love of course." Rumpelstiltskin replied cheerfully.

"You bottled True Love?" Belle asked him.

"Yes. I made a potion of True Love using a hair from Snow White and a hair from our Prince Charming over here." He explained.

"How are we going to do it? Do we need to kill the dragon?" David asked, ready for a fight after spending so long in David Nolan's skin.

"Well, we could go down to the basement and fight the dragon to get the egg back but I think that Emma might be able to transport it here by using her powers. It would be exhausting without training but she wouldn't need to use it tomorrow... The choice is yours." Rumpelstiltskin suggested.

"I want to try it this way. If we can avoid fighting a dragon for the time being, it would be best." Emma nodded.

"Are you sure Emma?" David and Snow asked her and she nodded.

"You can do it mom." Henry assured here, confident as ever in her skills and it made her smile.

Closing her eyes and listening to Gold's description of the egg, she did as she was told. Blue helped Gold and together, they guided the saviors. Everyone in the dinner was watching curiously and when the egg appeared, surrounded by a bright white light, they all clapped.

"Congratulations Emma!" Blue exclaimed.

"I'm sure that somewhere under the town, there's a dragon who's relieved to be free of that thing." Henry exclaimed, cheerful as ever.

"Thanks. But you were right, I feel drained... I could use with some food." The savior replied.

"I'm already on it. I warmed some of my famous lasagnas for you." Granny assured her softly while Ruby brought her some hot chocolate.

"I remember it looking smaller." David said as he looked over the egg.

"It probably seemed that way next to the dragon." Gold smiled.

"How are you going to use it now?" Belle asked him.

"I just need to pour it in the well on the edge of town." He explained.

"We'll come with you, just to be safe. We never know who Regina has working for her here." Grumpy offered.

If their saviors trusted Gold, if Snow and Charming decided to follow in their daughter's footsteps and give the Dark One another chance, they so would they.

"Maybe we should go to Regina first and make sure she can't use magic." Emma reminded them.

"I have something in my shop. Squid ink. It will stop her from using magic until we find a way to take it away from her completely" Gold told them and he offered to go and get it before he went to the well with the dwarfs.

.

Once they had the ink, Gold explained to Emma that if it was on a silver band that was on Regina, it would last longer and so they dipped a small silver bracelet in the ink and forcefully placed it on the angry Witch's wrist. Emma used a bit of magic to prevent Regina from taking it off. Like she did previously, she let Gold guide her powers and trusted that it would work, and it did.

"You're going to let that imp guide your daughter in using magic? He's only going to corrupt her. Don't forget that magic always has a price." Regina tried to place doubt in Snow's mind.

"No he's not going to corrupt her. She trusts him and so do I. Her magic is pure and he's teaching her how to use light magic, not dark one. He won't corrupt her." Snow replied.

"He's changed, and you're only angry because you're realizing that you've lost." Belle told the ex queen.

"We'll see about that. I'll watch happily as your daughter pays the price of her magic." Regina smirked confidently.

"You act like you know everything Regina, but you don't know half as much as you think you do. Miss Swan's powers comes from true Love. It's magic in its lightest form. Dark magic is the only one who has a price. Light magic helps people, therefore, there's no price to pay for using it. If you only knew just how many times I saved your life, you'd be a little more grateful toward me." Gold told the woman that had locked Belle away before they all left the station, ignoring Regina's attempts to soften them and get them to free her.

Gold and Belle went with Grumpy to the well and after they poured the potion inside, there was a big pink cloud that overtook the town.

"Is that it? Is magic back?" Belle asked him.

"Yes, it is. I believe there will be diamonds back in the mines as well." he replied, looking at the two dwarfs that had come with them, one of which seemed to be a good friend of Belle's.

"Great, we'll finally have some good work to do and with fairy dust, everything is always better." Grumpy declared before they all walked back to town to join the party and celebrate with everyone.

* * *

**Thank you for loving this story so much! I hope you'll keep on liking it!**

**You know what to do.**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Part 6**_

* * *

The next morning, around 9, Emma, Henry and her parents arrived at Jefferson's house, ready to have what would be her first family breakfast, her first meeting between her father and a boyfriend, her first official time meeting her boyfriend's daughter...

Lots of firsts.

She was nervous.

Maybe lunch would have been better, maybe she should have reserved this first breakfast after the curse for only her parents and herself? Well, it was too late to change her mind now. She had just rang the doorbell and already she could hear footsteps coming closer on the other side of it.

Jefferson appeared on the pther side of the now open door and after greeting everyone formaly, he pulled Emma into a kiss that was much shier than what he was usually giving her. He was obviously trying to act as well as possible in front of her father, who was also his Prince, she realised.

"I heard you were magical last night." Jefferson told Emma softly, pride in his voice.

"Already? How did you hear?" She asked him.

She wasn't surprised that the news of what happened last night was already all over town, she had been expecting it, especially since the dwarfs gossiped like teenage girls (or old wives), but how did Jefferson hear it from his isolated house?

"I had to run to the store earlier because I was out of eggs, you know how I can go overboard when I cook breakfast. Anyway, one of the dwarfs, the one who's working there, was telling everyone how you gave him his memories back after he lost them crossing the town's line and how you saved everyone all over again. Apparently, and I quote: _**Princess Emma is amazing. Not only is she sexy as hell, but she's strong, powerful and as good hearted as her mother. The best of her parents in one hell of a package. We're really lucky to have her.**_ That's what he said. I'm pretty sure I heard someone say something like it was too bad you were taken already..." Jefferson told them, enjoying the blush that crept on her cheek while her parents looked at her with pride.

Well, her mother looked proud. David looked very serious, almost angry. He was proud of his daughter of course, this went without saying.

"Wait, who said that?" David asked, serious all of a sudden.

"I think it was Sneezy. The one who works at the store and always has tissues with him because he's always sick and allergic to everything..." The mad-hatter replied.

"He said my daughter was _sexy_? _Sneezy_? I need to have a talk with him. He's a dwarf and he's supposed to be like an uncle to Emma. He's not allowed to think like this, not about my baby." David shook his head in a negative manner, making a mental note to seek out the man later.

"Your baby is 28 now." Emma whispered, trying to hide her blush while everyone chuckled.

"David, you're making Emma blush. You're embarrassing her." Snow whispered, amused.

"Well, isn't it a father's job to embarrass his daughter in front of her boyfriend?" Henry asked innocently, making them all chuckle some more.

"We're here for breakfast, right? Let's eat then, I'm starving." Emma intervened, willing to change the subject and making nod.

Grace was setting the table when they arrived and she rushed to Emma, hugging her hard around the waist, thanking her for breaking the curse and reuniting her and her father. Then she hugged Henry to thank him for allowing her to spend time with her papa back when she was cursed.

It reassured Emma. Maybe things would go down easily after all. Maybe Grace would accept her.

All in all, it was a nice moment for everyone.

Jefferson had cooked too much, of course. There were muffins, waffles, pancakes, eggs, bacon, coffee, tea, chocolate... The 7 dwarfs could have joined them for breakfast and there still would have been some left overs.

"We should grab a couple of things for Regina. She needs to be fed too, no matter what she did to everyone else." Emma suggested.

"There's an old piece of bread left over from 2 days ago, she can have those. No way am I letting this woman eat something fresh after everything she's done to me." Jefferson replied and Emma nodded, understanding where he was coming from.

David got to know Jefferson as they ate and had to admit that the man would be good for his daughter, that they fit well together, that they balanced each other. It was obvious that the Mad-hatter understood Emma and since he had been through a lot as well, they could understand each other better. They both had the same abandonment issues and appeared to be working pretty well on them together.

Grace and Henry got along well also and it seemed understood between them that they'd be siblings one day. Even though Grace and henry were about the same age, the boy had taken on the role of a big brother to her and they were good together. They had several shared interests and in the one night she had spent in this house, Grace had already found a bedroom that she decided would be Henry's once Emma and him moved in, when their parents were ready. She seemed to be more than open to the idea of having Emma as a step-mother, just like Henry seemed to want for Jefferson to become his step-father.

Snow couldn't be more proud of her daughter.

Despite everything she had been through, she managed to become a good woman. A fair woman. Someone anyone would be proud to know and be seen with. Her daughter had become a true princess all on her own, not even knowing it was in her blood all along. She was their perfect heir.

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**I know that it's a bit shorter than the others... At first this part was only a few sentences, no more than ...**

**Don't forget to review,**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Part 7_**

* * *

Around 10 AM, Emma left everyone at Jefferson while she went to get Regina. The others would join her later at the town meeting she had called.

After feeding the ex queen, she brought her to the courtroom of the city hall, the biggest room in town really, the only one who could fit everyone in town inside. She had spread the word through the dwarfs and the fairies and everyone who was interested in Regina's fate was welcome to come, listen and vote. When she entered the room, she realized just how well the word had spread. There was so many people that came that some of them had to stand on the side because there was no more available seats.

Regina was tied up in front of everybody, trying to glare her way out of her cuffs and still unable to get the bracelet off. She knew that there was magic in town, she could feel it all around her, but she could also feel the bracelet sucking it out of her, preventing her from using it. She was a prisoner of this small, pathetic band of silver, at the mercy of those idiots who didn't even deserve to clean the dirt on her shoes. To top it all, the so-called savior had used magic on her and she wasn't even able to talk without being talked to first.

How dare she? Who did she think she was? Regina was confident that she'd get out of this sticky situation and that she'd be able to get her revenge on them all soon.

Emma was standing next to the fallen Evil queen and everyone was slowly sitting down in front of them, waiting patiently for the _festivities_ to start.

"Welcome. First, I want you all to be reassured: Regina isn't able to use magic here. Rumpelstiltskin is helping me and we're blocking her powers. She's harmless as long as she keeps the silver bracelet you see on her left wrist. As we speak, the dwarfs are looking for diamonds to turn into fairy dust. Using fairy dust and his own powers, M. Gold and the Blue Fairy will be able to work together on creating a potion that will take Regina's powers away from her for good." Emma stopped for a minute to let everything sink and when the whisper quieted down, she continued:

"We're here today to decide how we're going to deal with Regina. We can't fairly condemn her without giving her a chance to defend herself and we can't let her defend herself without stating all the bad thing she's done to everyone." Emma explained.

"How are you going to do this? You don't know everything she's done to all of us. You only know the stories that touch your family and their close friends. We all deserve to be heard." Doctor Whale complained, interrupting her and earning himself a glare from David and Jefferson.

"That's the point. Everyone who wants to state a claim against Regina will get the chance. Starting tomorrow, anyone will have the chance to come up here and speak, either for or against Regina. When you're done saying what you have to say, Regina will get a chance to answer you. After her answer, you'll get one last chance to speak. You'll be free to declare yourself for her punishment or to decide to forgive her and to take your complain away." Emma watched as most of them nodded, agreeing that it was the best solution and she could see her parent's proud and approving faces watching her.

She loved it, knowing that she made them proud, that they approved of what she was doing. She had looked her parent's approval her entire life and now that she had then, after only a few hours, they were already proud. It made her happy and confident. She was also happy to see Jefferson there, along with Henry. They were also her family now.

"How long do we have to talk? Who will time us?" Hansel and Gretel's father asked and she knew he, too, had things to say.

He had been separated from his children as well. Emma wondered why that was, why Regina had separated so many children from their parents when she had known how important the love of a father could be.

"It'll take as long as necessary to hear everyone who wants to speak. You'll be able to take as long as you need. 5 minutes or an hour, depending on what you have to say. Nobody will limit your time." Emma answered him and he nodded, thankful.

"Will everyone be able to speak or will there be a selection?" One of the nurses from the hospital asked.

"There will be no selection. All you'll have to do is sign up on the sign up sheets that have been placed near the doors. Nobody will be left out, everyone will get a chance to say his piece. We'll take as long as necessary to hear everyone out, no matter the nature of your complain against Regina." Emma assured the nurse she had crossed a few times only before that day.

"When will it start?" Blue asked.

"We'll start those sessions between 9 and 11 am every morning and between 2 and 5 pm every afternoon, starting tomorrow. We'll call you as we follow the list of names on the sign up sheets. There will be someone present to write everything down and keep the records so anyone can consult it to make a decision if they didn't have the time to listen to everything. Once we've heard everyone, Regina will get one last chance to speak for herself, then we'll hold a vote. _Everyone legal_, meaning over 18, will get to vote for Regina's punishment." Emma declared to the town who nodded in approval, willing to follow the saviors, their princess, the woman who had saved them all and was still protecting them.

"What will our choices be?" Blue asked Emma, silencing everyone.

"We're willing to hear your suggestions when you come here and speak but right now we're thinking of locking her up in a cell without her magic, much like Rumpelstiltskin was in the past, giving her a second chance if enough people think that she's worth saving and that she can change, that will be without magic as well. Either way, the safety of everyone in town will be considered." Emma explained and everyone nodded once more.

"It's going to be a long few weeks." Jefferson sighted from his spot in the audience, Grace on his right, Henry on his left, right after Emma was done and the people started to leave the room, rushing to sign up on the lists.

"I'm surprised she stays silent for so long. I was afraid she'd interrupt Emma and insult everyone." Snow confessed as she joined them.

"Mom used magic to silence Regina. She was being annoying and instead of asking her to shut up over and over again, mom tried to use magic and she locked Regina's lips for the time being." Henry explained.

"She's getting good very quickly with magic." David stated.

"She's a natural at it. In the good way." Blue reassured him with a smile.

"I'd still feel better is she didn't learn magic with only Gold." David explained.

"That's probably why she and Gold asked me to help." Blue smiled.

"They did? Both of them?" Snow asked.

"Gold came to me first, willing to make peace with me. We talked and he asked if I'd like to help him train Emma. I was surprised but he explained that in case something happened to make him change back or if someone got a hold of his dagger, it'd be better if Emma knew how to use different sorts of magics. Needless to say that he managed to convince me that he was changing, trying to be good. Even his magic is changing, I can feel it. It's not as dark anymore." Blue explained to them.

"Well, it's great!" Snow and David agreed.

Emma took Regina back to her cell before she joined them for lunch and after that, she went to train her magic with Gold and Blue, knowing that she needed to be strong in case something happened. She kept her cell phone in her pocket in case someone needed her at the station but things were pretty calm at the moment. Anyone who accidentally crossed the town line was to be brought at Gold's shop where he would use magic to give them their memories back.

* * *

**Thank you for liking this story so much. Keep reading and reviewing!**

**This update is special. My birthday in on the 17th (tomorrow) and I just want to wake up with lots of reviews in my mail box...**

**:-)**

**You know what to do,**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	8. Chapter 8

**_Part 8_**

* * *

The next day, Belle was the first one they invited to speak, then Jefferson spoke for both he and Grace's pain, making sure Regina understood how much it had hurt him to be so unfairly punished by her. Next in line was Hansel and Gretel's father. He, too, had a lot of things to say.

Henry had wanted to go up and speak on the first day but Emma didn't let him, asking him to wait until the end to see if he really wanted to do it or not. She wanted to give him the time to really think about it and to change his mind if he wanted to.

It took them a couple of weeks to hear everyone and Regina was emotionally exhausted but still stood proud, convinced that she hadn't done much wrong, that they had all deserved it somehow.

"Henry wants to speak but before he comes in I'd like to speak for someone who can't anymore." Emma started.

"And who's that? I'm pretty sure the entire town spoke here." Regina muttered, rolling her eyes.

"I'm here for Graham." Emma announced and everyone stood straighter, muttering among themselves.

"What about him?" Regina smirked.

"We both know what you did to him. You ripped his heart out when he refused to kill my mother because she was innocent and you used him, you kept him prisoner for all those years, forcing him to do things he never would have done otherwise. You treated him like a puppet. When you created your curse, you kept on using him and when he kissed me and got his memories back, you crushed his heart and killed him instead of allowing him the freedom he deserved. You're the only one responsible for his death and I thought someone needed to mention it." Emma stated.

"He deserved what he got. He shouldn't have left me for you. He was mine. MINE! You stole him away from me. He was mine." Regina yelled, glaring daggers at the woman who had taken everything from her in such a short time.

"He was never yours Regina, he was never willing to be with you. You forced him to do this because you held his heart, he wasn't the master of his own actions anymore. In my mind, all you did was rape not only his body but his mind as well. He would have never been yours willingly." Emma replied before she asked for silence in the courtroom and let Henry come to the stand, knowing that he had worked hard on what he was going to say but not knowing what it was.

"Mom asked me to wait until everyone had spoken before I came to stand here and said what I had to say. She wanted to make sure I didn't change my mind... I didn't. You raised me, Regina. You took care of me and maybe you really did love me in your own way but I never felt it. You made me feel like there was something wrong with me, like I was crazy when I was right. You knew I was right and you made me feel like I was crazy. You made sure nobody would believe me, that I'd be all alone and suffer... I hated it and I hate you now. Maybe one day I'll forgive you and be able to move on but right now I don't want to see you again and if I could choose your punishment, If I could vote, I'd have you locked away in a dark cell, like you did Belle, never knowing if you'd get out one day or if you'd die in there all alone. I want you locked in a dark cell without magic and with absolutely no company but your own soul to work on. We all know how dark it is and how long it's going to take you to clean it." Henry said when it was his turn to speak.

Now that he had spoken, the little boy wanted nothing more than to leave this place but he knew that he had to give Regina a chance to answer. It was her right.

"I raised you Henry. I took care of you. I soothed every nightmare you had, every fever, every tantrum... **I**'m your mother. You and everyone think that it's my fault if Emma gave you up, that if she had grown up with her parents, she wouldn't have abandoned you but you also wouldn't have been born. By casting this curse, I set a course of action that ended with your birth. You're mine. **I** created _you_. Without me you wouldn't be here." Regina replied with a glare.

If she had been emotionally exhausted by all the other accusation, she seemed to be in better form that day and seemed sure once more that she had been in her right to do everything she had done. There were ups and down in her mood.

"I guess we'll never know what could have happened, but you could have acted differently. You don't see what you have, you keep on concentrating on what you don't have and what you could lose. You'll never be happy if you don't change the way you see things." Henry shook his head sadly before he left the courtroom with Grace and Jefferson to get some Ice Cream before Emma joined them.

He didn't want to stay and hear the rest of it. He hadn't watched the other testimonies and he hadn't read them either, he didn't want to know everything she had done. He had been standing outside the room until Ruby opened the door and told him to come in after Emma had said what she wanted to say for Graham. He wanted to concentrate on the future, on his future with his real mother, Emma.

After the last person of the town spoke, Emma decided to give everyone 1 week to think everything over and to consult the record of the testimonies that had been put public, for everyone to read. that would give everyone time to think things over and to make up heir minds.

In the end, the majority of the town voted to keep Regina locked up in jail without magic, mainly because it was the punishment Snow White had pleaded for. They would re-evaluate Regina's punishment when she had had some time to think and work on herself and on her soul, like Henry had suggested.

* * *

**What did you think?**

**Thank you for the reviews and the B-day wishes!**

**When this story was still a one-shot, this was where it ended. Now, it's going to be longer (up to 13 chapters written right now and so not over). I don't know how much longer but definitely a few more chapters.**

**Review please?**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	9. Chapter 9

**_Part 9_**

* * *

After Regina's long trial, they managed to do the potion to take away her powers and locked her up in the mines, in a cell specially made by the Blue Fairy and the Dark One so that the Evil Queen wouldn't be able to escape, even if someone else used magic on it. She was guarded by two dwarfs at all time and got three meals a day, brought to her when the guard changed.

Emma and David were going to interview volunteers to take shifts in guarding Regina during the next few days. They had to be careful as to who they trusted with her and it would take a while considering the large list of volunteers they had but they had time. Gold, for his part, was working on a way to watch over Regina through a magic mirror so that they didn't have to have guards around all the time.

After a couple more weeks, Emma ended up leaving her parent's loft to move in permanently with Jefferson in his big house. She liked being with her parents of course but she was a big girl now, leaving with her parents in such a small place when she had a boyfriend and a 10 years old kid wasn't working well for her. Henry and Grace got along well enough and had been the one to suggest they did it now instead of waiting. It was pointless when everyone knew how it was going to end.

Emma still saw her parents everyday of course, she made a point of it. She was working on establishing a real parent-child relationship with them instead of the friend one she had previously established when the curse was in place. It wasn't easy and it was a bit weird but she knew that she could do it.

Emma didn't know if it was her _happily ever after_ or of it was a _happy for now_ moment but she didn't care, she was determined to enjoy this happiness while she could. She had love and a family, finally and she knew that with Jefferson, she had found someone who wouldn't leave her at the first challenge.

.

"David and Gold went to lock up Regina's safe, to hide everything that could be dangerous and they brought this back for you. They figured you'd finally want it back." Emma told Jefferson that night when she came home from work with his hat.

"Well, I'm not planning on using it anytime soon but who knows, it might turn out to be useful eventually." He smiled before he grabbed the locked box and placed it safely in the back of his dressing room without even opening it to check if Regina had taken good care of it.

"And here I thought you'd take it out for a spin for old time's sake." She chuckled.

"Why would I do that? I have everything I've ever wanted right here with me, in this house." He smiled before he took her in his arms and kissed her softly.

"I love you." She smiled, returning the kiss.

"I love you too." The ex Mad-Hatter replied sincerely before he led her to the living room where they were going to have a movie night with her parents and their children.

"Hey, grandma and grandpa brought pizzas!" Henry exclaimed when they came in the room to see that David and Snow had arrived.

"We figured you'd want a break from cooking and we wanted a change from Granny's." Snow explained.

"Great, now, what do you want to watch?" Jefferson asked.

"Not Snow White!" Emma exclaimed, knowing that Henry wanted to watch a Disney Movie.

"But why?" Grace asked as David and Mary-Margaret looked at her curiously.

"Come on mom!" Henry pleaded while Jefferson smirked, knowing her reasons already.

"Because Henry, I don't like the way they portray women in this movie. It starts with her singing that she wants love and when he comes, she runs away and hides. Then she makes herself at home in the dwarfs' house, putting things away and everything. So, okay, it was nice of her to clean their house but when they graciously allow her to stay with them, not only does she take over their beds and their bedroom but she starts bossing them around. Who does she think she is? Grumpy can eat with dirty hands if he wants to, she's not his mother or his boss, it's his house, not hers. Then they tell her not to let anyone in, she knows the Evil Queen is after her and has powers but she still trust a creepy old woman. This movie portrays women as dumb people who are there to cook and get rescued. You want to watch Snow White, look at your grandmother and ask her to tell you her story. We're not watching the Disney version of it." Emma declared passionately.

"Wow Emma, I didn't know you were so passionate about it." Snow smiled.

"I have to say, I agree with her." David nodded.

"Right... Okay... So, what do we watch?" Henry asked.

"How about we leave the fairy tale stories behind and go for SyFy?" Jefferson suggested after Grace and Henry suggested other Disney movies.

"Good idea." David nodded.

"Harry Potter!" Henry and grace exclaimed.

"Fine by me." Emma said and since everyone agreed on it, they watched the first two Harry Potter movies before it was time for the children to go to bed.

.

Emma was supposed to meet Blue to practice magic later but something came up and she decided to go earlier in the morning instead of missing her training session altogether. She had to admit that she actually liked practicing magic, it made her feel good and useful to know that she could help people with it.

When she arrived in the convent, one of the fairies told her that Blue was in the garden and so Emma rushed to meet her, only to find her in deep conversation with a completely wooden August.

"I'm sorry Pinocchio, but there's nothing I can do. Only you can help yourself, only you know what you did and what you can do to fix it." Blue was telling August when Emma arrived.

"August? Where have you been?" She asked him.

"Emma!" He exclaimed and if wooden living men could pale, she knew he would be very pale right now.

"What's going on? Why didn't you seek out your father? Do you have any idea how sad and worried he is right now?" Emma asked him.

"I couldn't let him see me like this. I was too ashamed." August shook his head.

"You're early Emma, weren't you supposed to come later?" Blue asked the savior.

"I know but I something came up later and instead of not coming at all, I decided to come early. I hope it's okay." Emma replied.

"Of course." Blue smiled.

"I'll leave you two then." August said before he turned around.

"Wait." Emma called after him.

"What is it?" He asked her.

"I knew that breaking the curse wouldn't stop you from turning into wood." She confessed.

"How?" He asked her as Blue curiously followed their conversation.

"I don't know what it is, but there's something you're hiding from me, something that concerns me and that you feel guilty about. I don't know much but I know that my instincts never failed me. Now that I think of it, maybe it's my magic working... Anyway, I think the only way for you to turn back into a man is to be honest. You know, Honest, truthful and unselfish? Does it ring a bell at all?" She asked him.

"It's not that simple Emma..." He started.

"Yes it is. Either you stay of wood, let yourself be ruled by your fears and hide for the rest of your life in the woods or wherever you've been hiding, letting your poor father be lonely and sad for the rest of his life, or you face your fears and decide to be honest, not only with me but with yourself." Emma told him.

August was thoughtful for a couple of minutes, aware of Blue and Emma's eyes on him. Then he turned to Emma and she could see the deep emotions in his eyes. If he had been human, he would have been crying, she knew it.

"You're right... Emma, there's something I need to tell you... It's about Neal." August said, shocking his friend and savior by saying a name she had hoped never to hear ever again.

* * *

**So, what did you think? How will she react?**

**Review please,**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Part 10**_

* * *

August was thoughtful for a couple of minutes, aware of Blue and Emma's eyes on him. Then he turned to Emma and she could see the deep emotions in his eyes. If he had been human, he would have been crying, she knew it.

"You're right... Emma, there's something I need to tell you... It's about Neal." August said, shocking his friend and savior by saying a name she had hoped never to hear ever again.

"Neal? What do you know about him? How do you even know him?" Emma asked him, her figurative walls coming up immediately, her face hard.

"I... It's complicated... Maybe you should sit down..." He suggested, trying to gain some time before he had to drop that bomb on her.

"I'm fine standing up. What do you have to say about Neal?" Emma snapped.

Blue was still here but feeling like she was intruding.

"I'm going to go and leave you two alone. If you're still up for your lessons when you're done, I'll be in my office Emma." Blue said softly before she left the garden, feeling like it was best if they were alone for the intense conversation to come.

"Please, promise me you won't get mad." August asked Emma.

"You asking me that before you even said anything is making me mad and telling me that whatever you have to say will make me angry so just go ahead and say whatever it is that you're hiding." Emma demanded, her voice showing that she didn't have much patience anymore.

"I... When you left the system, I started looking for you and when I found you, you were robbing convenience store with Neal. It wasn't the way your life was supposed to go, I thought you'd be safe in the system, that your life would go the right way... The night you got busted for the watches... I found Neal and confronted him. It hadn't taken me long to find out who he was... I don't think you know..."

"What are you talking about? What do you mean _who he was_? You're not making any sense August." Emma protested.

"I... Neal was about to join you with the money he got from the watches so you two could start over... I convinced him to leave you and let you go to jail so you'd get a fresh start. It's my fault if he left you. I'm sorry." August confessed, speaking a bit quickly but still slow enough for Emma to understand.

"What do you mean it's your fault if he left me? What could you possibly have told him to convince him to leave me if he didn't want to?" Emma asked him, her voice strong, filled with hardly contained anger.

She looked like someone about to explode and before he answered, august took a safe step backward.

"I knew who he was back in the Enchanted Forest... you don't know this but he's from our world... His name is Baelfire..." August told her.

"Gold's son? Neal is Gold's son?" Emma asked him in a small voice as she took a step back.

She looked as if she had been slapped hard across the face.

"Yes, but Gold doesn't know. I told Neal who you were, who I was, what you were supposed to do. He made it clear that he didn't want to see his father again, that he didn't want to come to Storybrook with you and that he didn't want the curse broken so I told him that the only thing to do was for him to leave you. I'm sorry Emma... I didn't know you were pregnant... I swear... It's my fault if you abandoned Henry, it's my fault if he left you..." August truly looked sorry, tortured.

"He had a choice. He could have stayed with me and helped me believe and break the curse. I would have believed if he had told me... He decided to leave me instead of working on his issues..." Emma whispered.

"I... I guess you could see it this way, yes." He nodded.

"Did he know who I was the entire time we were together? Did he know it when we met?" She asked him.

"No, I'm the one who told him. He had no idea."

"Does he know about Henry?" Emma asked.

"I met with him before coming back in town. He still didn't want to come to Storybrook, he didn't want to face his father. He didn't want you to break the curse because he didn't want his father to find him. I told him I'd send him a postcard once the curse was broken." August told her.

"Did you?"

"Yes. He knows the curse is broken. He knows you're here and he knows that he can come if he wants to see you." He nodded.

"When did you send it?"

"The minute it was broken. Via bird. A dove, very trustworthy, I assure you. he got it."

Emma sighted.

It had been a few weeks since she had broken the curse and if Neal hadn't come, there was a good chance he wouldn't be coming at all.

"I see. Did you tell him about Henry?" She asked him.

"No, he doesn't know that he has a son." He shook his head.

"Listen August, I can see how this situation could weigh on your conscience but it's not your fault. You did what you believed was best for me, to give me my best chance. He could have come after me, he could have chosen to tell me the truth or to stay with me until it was time to break the curse. He made the choice to stay away. Not you. I'm not saying we'll go back to being friends and that I'm not mad at you because I am. I'm very mad at you, but I'll move on eventually. I'll be able to forgive you some day, you should forgive yourself. You gave Neal options, you're not responsible for his choices." Emma told her wooden friend.

"Thank you for seeing it this way... Here, it's Neal's address in New York. Unless he moved without telling me, he's still there. Apartment 407." He smiled, handing her a folded piece of paper that seemed to have been folded and unfolded many times before.

"You should go and talk to your father. I have a feeling that once you've talked to him, you'll go back to being a man of flesh, blood and bones." Emma told him before she turned around and left the garden.

She was about to leave the convent when she decided to go and see the Blue fairy. If she wasn't in the mood to practice magic, she needed advice.

"Emma, you look shaken. Are you alright?" Blue asked her when she entered her office.

"Not really... I'm not really in the mood to practice magic but I need to talk... if you don't mind." Emma asked her.

"Of course not, it's why I'm here. What happened?"

Emma then started telling the Blue fairy about Neal, how they met, their short love story and how it ended. Then she explained what August had told her about the reasons behind Neal leaving her and who he really was.

"I... I don't know what to do or even how to feel... I love Jefferson but deep down, I think a part of me never forgot Neal and will always love him." Emma explained.

"Because he's your first love. One never really forgets a first love." Blue nodded with a kind smile on her face.

"What do you think I should do?" Emma asked her.

"I think you know what I'm going to advise you to do..." Blue smiled softy.

"I need to follow my heart?" Emma smiled.

"Yes. But you also need to be honest. You can't hide Neal's identity from Gold, especially after everything he's done to change and be a better man."

"I know... Henry deserves to know everything as well... It's just... I promised Gold I'd help him find his son but I didn't know that it'd mean I'd have to face Neal again... I'm scared." Emma replied honestly.

"Of what?"

"Of what I'll feel. Of the fact that finding him is going to change my life radically when it's finally, and for the first time ever, in such a great place right now..." Emma sighted.

"You know you're very loved here Emma. Everyone is behind you, no matter what you decide, you'll never be alone. Maybe you just need to talk to your parents, to Jefferson, to Gold and to Henry before you make a decision. Talk to them, listen to their advises, their opinions. Maybe their reactions will surprise you." Blue suggested.

"You're right. Thank you. I'll go and start with my parents. I'll contact you about our next lesson when everything is sorted." Emma smiled as she stood up.

"Don't worry about it. Take your time." Blue nodded before Emma waved goodbye and rushed to her little yellow bug.

* * *

**What did you think? Will she change her mind about helping Gold reunite with his son?**

**Review please**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	11. Chapter 11

**_Part 11_**

* * *

When Emma called her parents to ask them to be at the loft because she had something important to tell them, they were worried. She had been tensed over the phone and they had a feeling that whatever their daughter wanted to talk about wasn't good news.

"She didn't sound good over the phone... Maybe we should have met her wherever she was..." Snow told David.

"Don't worry, she's strong. She'll be fine." He replied just as the doorbell rang.

He had been at the animal shelter when Emma called and he had rushed to meet her, see what was wrong. Mary-Margaret opened the door and let in a disturbed and a bit too pale looking Emma. They all sat around the small table, in front of a warm cup of freshly made hot cocoa.

"What's going on Emma?" Snow asked her.

"I... Remember when I told you, I mean, cursed you, about Neal, Henry's father?" Emma asked her mother.

"Yes, I do. Why?"

"Did you tell David about it?" Emma asked him.

"Yes, I did. I'm sorry but he's your father and he was curious... I figured you wouldn't mind him knowing... Did I do something wrong?" A concerned mother asked her daughter.

"No, actually it'll make things easier today if he knows. When I went to train with Blue today, August was there... He had a problem but that's not the most important... He... He told me..." Emma started but paused, searching for the right words to explain everything to them.

"What is it Emma?" David asked her.

"He knew Neal... He met him shortly before I went to jail for the watches Neal stole." Emma told them before she explained everything August had confessed to her.

"Henry's father is Rumpelstiltskin's son?" David exclaimed.

"It's a strangely small world we live in." Emma nodded.

"Wow... I didn't see that coming." Snow said.

"Because you think I did? I don't know what to do... I promised Gold I'd help him find his son but I don't want to see Neal again... At the same time I want to lead Gold to him to punish him for leaving me alone in jail when he had other options... And I'm afraid it's going to change everything that's good in my life right now... I'm lost Mom... Dad... I need help..." Emma pleaded and they rushed to hug her, loving that she had called them mom and dad, even if it was in such a bad moment.

"It'll be alright Emma, everything will work out in the end." Snow told her softly.

"You know that you need to talk to Jefferson, Henry and Gold about it though, right? You can't keep this from them." David asked her and she nodded.

"Jefferson will understand and he won't leave you Emma. Henry loves you and he'll follow whatever decision you make. As for Gold, I'm sure that if you really don't want to face Neal, he'll free you of your promise. He'll understand, especially if August knows where to find him." Snow said.

"You're right... But Henry deserves the right to decide if he wants to meet his father or not..." Emma sighted.

"Didn't August tell him about Henry?" David asked.

"No. Neal has no idea that he's a father... Part of me wants to keep it this way, to hide it from him..." Emma confessed as she sipped from the hot cocoa her mother had served her.

"But it would be wrong." Snow scolded.

"I know. Whatever happens, he'll end up finding out about Henry, especially since it could be an argument Gold will be able to use to get Neal to come here with him, to give him a second chance as a father..." Emma nodded.

"I'm sorry Emma... We wish we'd have an easier solution for you, that we could tell you something that would solve it all without hurting you..." Snow sighted.

"You're doing pretty well right now." Emma smiled and she stayed a couple more hours with her parents before she left and went to the station, knowing that Jefferson was waiting for her there with lunch.

.

When she entered the station, Emma smiled. Jefferson had cleared one of the extra desks and set up their lunch on it. He was waiting for her and she could see that he was starting to worry that she was late.

"Smells nice." She said to let him know that she was here.

"Hey, how did it go with Blue? Learned anything fun yet?" he asked her when he looked up and it took her a couple of seconds to remember hat she was supposed to have been training with the Blue fairy.

"Actually I didn't train today, something came up." Emma told him as she sat next to him.

"What's wrong?" He asked her.

He could feel like something was going on and he didn't like it. If Emma was worried, then so was he and she definitely looked troubled by something.

"I forgot how perceptive you are. I need to tell you something that I found out today."

"Sounds like something big." He sounded worried and she decided to reassure him:

"It is big but don't worry, it doesn't change anything between us. We're fine. It's nothing like that." She smiled before she started telling him everything that had happened from the moment she saw August talking with the Blue fairy to the moment she left her parent's loft a few minutes ago.

"Wow... So he was told who you were and still decided to leave you, just because he didn't want to have to see his father? Couldn't he just stay with you until then and make up an excuse to stay behind while you went to break the curse or something? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he left you because if he hadn't I wouldn't be lucky enough to have you in my life but still..." He said once she was done.

"That's why I'm confused about what to do. I love you and I'm glad we're together. I also love Grace, you know that. I love the life we have here together but I'm still mad at him for leaving me. I think that deep down I'll always love him because he was my first love, the first person I opened up to... I don't want him to enter our lives again just to break Henry's heart. He has you and David, he doesn't need Neal." Emma told him honestly.

"No matter Neal's reasons for sending you to jail and leaving you, even if it hurt you, you still need to tell him about Henry. He still deserves to know that he has a son. You know that, right?" Jefferson said.

"I know..." She sighted.

"Do you want me to drop him here after school so you can talk privately?" He asked her.

"No, I'll go and pick him up. This afternoon I'll get him and tell him at the same time as I talk to Gold. I have a feeling it'll be easier for me to tell the two of them at the same time." She told him.

"Are you sure?"

"No... But I'm getting tired of saying the same story over and over again. First to Blue, then my parents, then you... It's emotionally exhausting. I only have one more talk in me today." She explained with a chuckle.

"I understand. Well, as soon as Grace gets home I'll explain things quickly to her and we'll cook a nice dinner for Henry and you." he promised.

"Thanks for being so understanding." Emma smiled before she kissed him.

"It's natural. It's because I love you."

"I love you too and you don't have to be worried. No matter what Neal's reasons are, it's too late if he wants me back. I won't stop him from being in Henry's life but you don't have to worry about us. He won't be able to win me back." Emma told him and he smiled back before he kissed her, happy to have such an incredible person in his life.

* * *

**What did you think? Will Henry want to see his father? Will Neal want Emma back? Will she leave Jefferson for her first flame?**

**Thank you for all the reviews you've been giving me so far. Don't stop now. I'll answer to big reviews and even give you a spoiler if you want one.**

**Don't forget to review!**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	12. Chapter 12

_**Part 12**_

* * *

Emma spent most of the afternoon at the station with Jefferson helping her. It was mostly paperwork and answering a few calls, which didn't require for them to leave the station and gave Emma some time to think about how she was going to say everything to Gold and Henry. When it was time to pick up the children at school, they left together and while Jefferson took Grace back home, Emma motioned for Henry to follow her.

"Is something wrong mom? Why didn't we go with Jefferson and Grace? Did you guys have a fight or something?" he asked her.

"Calm down Henry, we didn't have a fight. Everything is fine between us. I just have something important to tell you, something I found out today and it's important that I tell you." She reassured him.

"What is it?" he asked her as he followed her to her car.

"I'd rather tell you once we've arrived." She replied.

"And where are we going?" He asked her curiously.

"To M. Gold's."

"Why?" Henry's voice showed well his confusion.

"Because what I have to tell you concerns him as well and I'd rather tell this story only one more time today. I've already had to tell it to your grandparents, to Jefferson and to Blue. I'll speak to you and Gold at the same time." She explained.

"It sounds like it's something big." Henry said.

"It is, kid. It is." She sighted before looking back at the road.

"Does Mister Gold know that we're coming?" Henry asked her.

"I called before I left the station to get you and told him that we needed to talk." She nodded.

Henry stayed silent for the rest of the way, understanding that his mother was tensed and needed time to gather her thoughts.

.

It wasn't long before Emma parked her little yellow bug in front of the Pawnbroker's shop and nervously walked to the front door of the shop, taking a big breath before opening the door.

When Henry and her came in, Belle was the the front desk, reading a big, thick book.

"Emma, Henry. How are you doing?"Belle asked.

"We're fine, Belle. Is Gold around?" Emma replied.

"Yes, he's in the back room. He said you'd come by and he's waiting for you. You can just go on ahead." Belle told her.

Emma nodded and guided her son to the back room, getting ready to tell them both the shocking news she had learned that morning.

"Ah, Emma, Henry. I've prepared some tea. It sounded like a big discussion, I figured it would be needed." he said with a smile when they entered the room and he showed them to the seats.

"Thank you. I... What do you know about Henry's father?" Emma asked the shop's owner, surprising Henry with the subject of the conversation and cutting right to the subject.

"I have to admit that I know more than I should... I overheard your mother telling your father about it the other day at Granny's..." He confessed.

"Good... This will make things easier then." Emma nodded.

"What's going on mom? What is this about?" Henry asked, worried.

"Today, I saw August when I went to see Blue. He was still wooden and was trying to find a way to go back to being human. I will spare you the unimportant details but he ended up confessing... He... August knows your father Henry. He knows Neal. Don't interrupt me please, the part that concerns you is coming mister Gold. August met Neal right before I went to jail... He wanted to put me back on the right track so that I'd break the curse and robbing convenience stores with Neal was not what he wanted for me. He went to Neal, told him who I was and what I was destined to do." Emma paused at that moment.

"And he believed him? How?" Gold asked.

"Well, at first Neal didn't want to listen to August... until August told him that he knew who he was... Who he really was I mean." Emma replied.

"Who was he?" Henry asked while Gold paled, starting to understand.

"Baelfire." Emma answered.

"You were with my son? Henry is my grandson?" Gold asked after a few seconds of silence and Emma nodded.

"August gave Neal a choice. He could stay with me and be there when I broke the curse or leave me, send me to jail for his crime so I'd get a fresh start and never contact me again... he chose never to contact me again." Emma explained.

"But why?" Henry asked.

"Because he..." Emma paused again, not willing to hurt Gold.

"Because of me... Because he didn't want to see me... Am I right?" The Dark One asked Emma.

"Yes... I... I just found out today and I wanted you to know... Auguts gave me Neal's adress in New York so you'll be able to find him easily. But..."

"What is it?" Gold asked while Henry looked at his second grandfather differently.

"I'm not sure I want to see him again... I... I'll always love him in a way, because he was my first love and everything but... My life is in such a great place right now... I'm afraid that if he comes into our lives, he'll ruin everything... I'm not sure I want him in Henry's life either... I also understand that if Henry meets him or not depends on him, it's his choice, not mine. Neal doesn't even know he has a son, he left too early on for that. I know you deserve a second chance with him as well... I'm just not sure I'm ready to face him." Emma replied honestly.

"I understand... I guess I could go alone... You giving me this address could be considered you doing what you promised." Gold told her gently.

"I... Can I have a while to think about it?" Henry asked and Emma nodded.

"I'm not leaving until at least a week so the two of you have time to think about it. I'll be able to buy more plane tickets at the last minute." Gold assured them.

"Are you okay?" Emma asked the Dark One when he sat back down, looking older than he appeared.

"All I ever wanted was for Bae to be happy and a good person... Now I find out that he abandonned his son, like my father abandonned me, like I abandonned him..."

"First of all, Neal didn't know I was pregnant. Hell, I didn't know I was pregnant. Second, you didn't abandon your son. You had a moment of weakness, that's all. And you've spent so many years trying to make up for it, to find a way to get back to your son... You didn't abandon him." Emma assured the man who could have been her father in law if things had gone differently.

.

Emma left Henry and Gold to talk alone together a moment while she waited with Belle and a couple of hours later, mother and son both silent as they drove back home. They had a lot to think about and important, life changing decisions to make.

* * *

**So? What did you think?**

**Leave me a review?**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	13. Chapter 13

_**Part 13**_

* * *

When they got home, Henry went straight to Grace's room to tell her everything he had learned from his mother and discuss his options with her while Emma received a hug and a kiss from Jefferson as silent support.

"How did it go?" he asked her as he watched Henry rushing past him.

"Better than I thought it would but Henry has been oddly quiet. I think I'll need to talk to him about it later." She replied.

"It can't be easy for him. He wants to be on your side and to make you happy, to spare you heartache but he also wants to know his father, even if he's going to end up disappointed in the end..." Jefferson nodded.

"Yes, I guessed as much. I'll give him the night to think it over and I'll talk with him about it tomorrow." She replied.

"What are you going to do?" He asked her.

"Honestly? I don't know. I guess it all depends on Henry. If he wants to go, I'll go with him so he's not alone, even though I trust Gold to keep him safe... I can't really be selfish here. Even if I don't want to see Neal or to tell him about Henry, if he wants to get to know his father, I can't stop him. It's his right."

"And you know that Neal deserves to know that he has a son, no matter what he did or how he acted in the past." Jefferson added.

"As much as I want to keep it from him, to punish him, he does. He deserves to know that he has a son." Emma nodded.

That night, dinner was very quiet for the four of them. Jefferson noticed that Grace looked nervously at Emma and made a mental note to speak with her about it later.

"Mom..." Henry started when Emma brought a pie on the table.

"Yes? What is it?" She asked him.

"Would you be very mad at me if I decided I want to know my father?" He asked her in a small voice and she knew that this question had been on his mind for longer.

"Of course not kid! It's your right and if you decide that you want to go with Gold next week and meet your father, then I'll go with you. Neal hurt me Henry, he really did, but I'm not going to let that get in the way of you giving him a chance if that's what you want." Emma told him softly while Jefferson served them slices of pie to them.

"Really?" Henry asked.

"Of course. Apparently, giving second chances is what we good guys do." Emma smiled and Henry nodded with a smile.

"Then I want to go. I want to meet my father and see what kind of man he really is. What kind of father he can be." Henry announced.

"I'll tell Gold tomorrow morning so he can get the right number of seats on the plane." Emma promised before they went back to eating their dinner.

.

The next morning, Jefferson and Emma drove the kids to school, noticing how quiet Grace was being still. They decided to let it go for now, maybe she was just upset about something and would tell them later, who knew.

While Jefferson went grocery shopping, Emma stopped at Gold's shop and informed him that both Henry and her would be going with him, much to his delight, before she went to the station and started on a day that was going to be long and started with Doc accusing a blind woman, Miss Ginger, of having scrapped his car intentionally with his keys.

.

A couple of days before they finally went to New York to look for Neal, Grace was still being quiet and distant, worrying them all. Jefferson had tried talking to her but she assured him that she was fine and refused to say anything to him.

Emma and Jefferson were watching TV with Henry that night but Grace had excused herself to her bedroom, pretending that she was tired.

"Maybe I should try... maybe it's puberty." Emma suggested.

"Puberty?" Jefferson asked her in a high voice.

"She's still young but only a couple of years younger than I was when I had my first menstruations... sometimes it comes early..." Emma shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh... Okay... Yeah, maybe you should try and talk to her." He nodded.

Emma kissed his lips and stood from the couch, making her way to Grace's bedroom. She knocked on the door and when a little voice told her to come in, she did and closed the door back behind her, not knowing that Jefferson had followed her and would listen to their entire conversation with Henry by his side.

"Oh, hey Emma." Grace smiled.

"Grace... how are you doing honey?" Emma asked her in a soft voice.

"I'm fine." Grace tried to smile.

"You know I can tell when someone lies to me right? I... I don't want to force you to tell me anything but I'm worried about you... I just want you to know that I'm here if you want to talk." Emma assured her before she came to stand behind Grace.

The young girl was seating in front of her vanity and Emma automatically grabbed the hair brush and started to slowly brush Grace's hair, liking the complicity of this moment. When she was in the foster system, she had often dreamt of someone doing this for her.

Grace smiled sadly.

"You're here now." Grace sighted, enjoying having Emma brushing her hair like this.

"What do you mean?"

"You're going to New York to see Henry's father... He was your first love... You won't come back to us and I don't want to lose you." Grace explained, unable to hold her tears any longer.

"Oh honey... no! I assure you that Neal is in the past. I'm never, ever, getting back together with him. I love your father way too much for that. You have nothing to worry about Grace. I love the life we have here. Me, Henry, You and Jefferson, we're a family and that is never going to change. I'm going to New York for Henry but I am coming back, not only for Jefferson, but also for you." Emma promised her, hugging her close to her heart.

"Really? You promise?" Grace asked her.

"Of course I promise. Tell you what, to prove to you that I'm coming back, I'm going to leave you my red leather jacket. You know how much I love this one. I wear it all the time. I'm going to leave it with you so you can know for sure that I'll come back." Emma suggested with a smile only mothers knew how to give to reassure their child.

"Really?" Grace asked.

"Really. And you can even wear it if you want to." Emma smiled.

"I... I love you Emma. I wish you were my real mother..." Grace exclaimed while she hugged Emma harder.

"I love you too Grace, so much... It doesn't matter what the blood says, if in your heart I'm your mother and if in my heart you're my daughter, then we are mother and daughter and I want that more than anything." Emma told the daughter of her love, the one she had quickly grown to love as much as she loved Henry.

"You won't mind if I call you mom then?" Grace asked.

"No, I won't mind, but you might ask your father if he agrees first." She smiled.

"Thank you. I love you." Grace added, hugging the savior again.

"You're welcome honey. I promise you I'll bring you something great from New York. Now, what do you want? A new Tea set? A statue of liberty for your tea parties?" Emma asked her to cheer her up.

"Surprise me." Grace smile brightly.

"Alright. Now, why don't you sit back down, I'll finish brushing your hair before we both go downstairs to watch a movie with those boys. Who knows what they've chosen without us to guide them wisely." Emma chuckled.

"Probably something with fights." Grace added.

On the other side of the door, Jefferson motioned at Henry to silently turn around and go back downstairs. Both of them were happy about the conversation they had overheard.

"You think she's ready already?" Henry asked Jefferson.

"Maybe, but I'll wait until you're back from New York. My mother's ring isn't going anywhere." The mad-hatter smiled.

* * *

**So, I'm sure you all guessed what Jefferson is planning, right? Will he do it or will Neal step in the way?**

**Don't forget to review, they always made me smile. Tell me what you wish would happen next and it might happen, you never know.**

**Thank you for those of you who read every update and review every time. If you leave me a big review, I'll answer it. I might even give you a spoiler if you ask nicely.**

**Love,**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Hat's off to you, Swan 14**_

When the time to leave for New York came, it felt like the entire town was waiting to say goodbye to Emma and Henry, probably afraid that they wouldn't be back, that they would decide to stay in the big city with Neal, Henry's father. Nobody wanted to see that happen.

"Oh come on, it's not like we're leaving forever, we're coming back in just a few days." Emma rolled her eyes as her parents hugged her close and her mother started crying.

"We know honey but we'll miss you non the less." Snow chuckled.

"I'll miss you too." Emma told them before she went to kiss Jefferson and Grace one more time and went in Gold's car with one last look and smile for Grace, who was proudly wearing Emma's red leather jacket, even if it looked much too big on her.

"So Grandpa', where's the first stop?" Henry asked Gold.

"That's going to take some getting used to..." Gold chuckled before he replied "The airport. It will be faster if we fly there."

To say that Emma was tensed was an understatement. She was afraid of what would happen once she found herself face to face with Neal. Would she loose it? Would she cry and show her weakness? Would he be able to talk his way out of it? Would she forgive him?

Worst than that... What if she still loved him enough to forget about Jefferson? What if Grace's fears had been legitimate? She definitely didn't want that to happen... She loved Jefferson and Grace and the life they had together. They were a family. She didn't need Neal in her life. She didn't want him to force his way back into it but she knew that there was no more turning back now.

Her son wanted to know his father and so Neal would learn that he had a son. That he had left her to go in jail when she was pregnant... That he had abandoned a son and forced her to do the same. What if he disappointed Henry? What would she do if on top of breaking her heart all those years ago he broke her son's heart too? How would she handle it?

"You' okay mom?" Henry asked her when he noticed how tensed she looked once they were in the airport, waiting for their time to board the plane to New York.

Even Gold appeared calmer than she was, probably because he thought that Henry would help him smooth things over with his son and that he was confident that knowing he had a son would convince Neal to go back with them and to give him a second chance.

"I'm just nervous... I'm starting to think that I should have allowed August to come with us..." She replied.

"Would he have even come?" Gold asked her.

"He wanted to. I told him that he wasn't needed because deep down I'm still mad at him for his role in this but truth be told, I think everything would be easier with him there... Or Jefferson and Grace... or even my parents... I just wish I wasn't alone to face this." Emma said honestly.

"Don't worry mom, you're not alone. We're here." Henry smiled.

"I know that Henry but it's not the same. You want to see him, so does your grandfather. I don't. I wished for a long time that I'd never have to see him ever again. He's a reminder of everything that's failed in my life and I wish I didn't have to face this right now... or ever." Emma shook her head.

"If it becomes too hard for you miss Swan, you could always say that you have a phone call to return and get out of there. We'll understand. I'll look after Henry." Gold told her quietly.

Gold had given his grandson some money and the little boy was eager to find the one perfect snack for the three of them. He knew that his grandfather and his mother needed to talk, preferably alone, and so he left them alone for a few minutes while he looked at the bakery's selection to see if he would find a snack good enough for them to eat.

"Thank you. I trust you, you know? With Henry. I didn't come with because I don't trust you alone with my son, I know you can be trusted with your grandson. I came because I wanted to be there for Henry. I just... I don't want you to think that I came because I didn't trust you." Emma told him sincerely.

"Thank you Emma. It's always nice to hear. I just hope my son will see how much i'm trying to change as well." He smiled before Henry came back with a box from the bakery across from them.

"What did you get us kid?" Emma asked her son.

"Cinnamon rolls. With extra frosting." Henry beamed at them.

.

The plane ride was pretty calm, nothing big happened. No snakes in the plane, no risk of crashing into anything, no terrorist attack, no doctors needed. None of the things Gold had dreaded happened and when they landed, they were all fine and ready to go to Neal's address.

Gold had reserved a taxi and when they arrived in front of the right building, they were faced with another problem:

"Why can't we just ring the door bell and wait for him to open it?" Henry asked.

"Because I know your father Henry and he'll run. As soon as he gets suspicious of who's at the door, he'll run for the hills and we might never find him again. I wouldn't put it past him to completely change town without coming back to pick up his stuff." Emma shook her head.

"Especially since there's no name on his doorbell." Gold nodded.

"Okay, we'll ring several bells, one of them will eventually open the door to us. Then we go to his door, Gold and I, we hide on the side of the wall while Henry knocks. Pretend you have something to sell for school or something. As soon as he opens the door, we rush inside and try to block any exists we see so he can't run." Emma decided.

"Are you sure it'll work?" Gold asked.

"Well, I'm hoping that once he opens the door and we rush inside, he'll see me and that it will make him pause long enough for us to block the exits and force him to listen to you. I mean, seeing me again will have to be a shock for him, right?" Emma told Gold who nodded his approval of her plan.

"Very well Emma. Let's do it this way." Gold and Henry nodded and they put their short plan into action.

* * *

**So, what do you think of this chapter? I thought the idea of Grace wearing Emma's red leather jacket was cute.**

**What will happen next? Review a lot and you'll find out sooner rather than later!**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	15. Chapter 15

**_Hat's off to you, Swan 15_**

* * *

The tension in the room was palpable.

Everything had happened the way Emma planned it and now they were all in Neal's little apartment, facing each others. Neal's eyes going between Emma and his father. The past few seconds since they barged in his home felt like hours to him and Emma.

"Emma? Is that you? You brought him to me? How could you?" he exclaimed.

"Hey! I'm the only one who's allowed to be angry here! You knew what I'd have to face and you left me just because you were too coward to face your father? You have no idea what you put me through, what I had to do..." Emma started to yell.

"I was giving you your best chance, August said..." he interrupted her.

"I know what August told you. I also know that you had a choice. You have no idea what you've done!" Emma said, cutting him off while Gold and Henry stood awkwardly on the side, watching the two of them like they were in some sort of tennis match.

"I know what I've done. I gave you your best chance." Neal insisted.

"You sent me to jail for a crime you committed. I was pregnant Neal!" Emma revealed.

"What?" he paled.

"Yes, I was pregnant, I had to find out in jail. I was so alone and heartbroken that I didn't think I could raise him so I gave him up for adoption, something I never wanted to do... It hurt so bad I couldn't even look at him when they took him away and every year on his birthday I re-lived that moment. The worst moment of my life, the moment when I had to give my baby up because I was all alone! Because of you, he was adopted and raised by the evil queen! He showed up on my doorstep on the night of my 28th birthday and told me I was some magical princess destined to break a curse, to save them all. I managed to do it but I was alone and he was still in danger. Because of you. MY son was raised by the evil queen, feeling unloved, because you were too coward to face your father!" Emma told him, half screaming, half crying.

Neal was silent and tore his eyes away from Emma only to place them on Henry, who was sad to see his mother in such a state.

"Is that... Is that my..." Neal asked in a small voice.

"Your son? Yes. It is. Henry, meet your father." Emma nodded.

"I... I swear I had no idea... If I had known..." Neal started but Emma snorted:

"Had you known what? What would you have done differently? You would have stayed out of duty and left us before we broke the curse or you would have taken me far away so I'd never break the curse and never meet my family?" She snapped at him.

"Emma... I honestly thought that I was doing what was best..." He tried to plead.

"Keep it Neal. I don't care about your excuses now. I've moved on. I have someone in my life and we're happy. I only came for Henry and your father, because I didn't want them to be alone if things didn't go right but let me warn you right now. If you break my son's heart the same way you broke mine, there won't be a place in this realm or the next for you to hide from my wrath." Emma snapped with fire in her eyes.

"Emma... Please..." Neal tried.

"This is too much. I need some air. I'll be outside if you need me." Emma told Gold who nodded.

Emma walked up to the window, aware that all eyes were on here and she found herself face to face with the big dream-catcher they had found in the motel room so long ago, back when Tallahassee was a dream and not simply another place she couldn't call home.

"Emma..." Neal started to say softly when he saw her touching it.

Emma took it in her hands and threw it back at Neal saying:

"I didn't even have that... I guess that's all there's left of Tallahassee." She spoke in a small voice before she took her cell phone out and went out the window.

Neal had tears in his eyes when he caught the dream-catcher that hadn't left him since that day. It had been for him the hope that one day he could find her and start over with her, the symbol that it was never too late, that he could still have Tallahassee with her but he knew with her tone and her gesture that he had been wrong. He would never get it back and he would never be able to give back to her everything he had taken.

While Emma went out the window to stand on the fire escape, away but close at the same time, it was silent again in the little apartment. Neal was looking between the window where Emma had just fled, Henry and his father. Henry was wondering if he should speak with his father or go after his mother and Gold was waiting for his son to be ready to speak to him.

"Don't worry Henry, she's fine. She'll be back when she's ready. She'll call her mother, maybe even Jefferson and she'll be fine once she's calmed down." Gold whispered to Henry as he placed a hand on the young boy's shoulder.

"I know grandpa... I just don't like to see her like this..." Henry nodded.

"So... You came all the way out here, a place without magic... There must be a reason, other than watch the drama unfold between Emma and me." Neal snapped at his father.

"Bae... Neal... The minute that portal closed, I regretted not going with you... I was scared... It was a little mistake with terrible consequences... You don't understand..." Gold started.

"No, you're right, I don't understand why you didn't go with me, why, for more nights than I can remember, I woke up screaming for you." Neal snapped back.

"When I was a boy, 8 I think, maybe younger, my father had a very bad reputation... you've heard of it back home... he left me in the care of the women that raised me, that much you know but you don't know an important part of the story..." Gold declared before he started telling his son about earning the magic bean, his father using it, become Peter Pan and abandoning him in a cruel way.

"I... I didn't know that. Peter Pan is your father..." Neal whispered.

As he spoke those words, an alarm bell rang in his head, asking him to focus on something but he couldn't find what it was so he just ignored it for now.

"When you opened that portal... I was back in that night I was abandoned... It was just a moment but it was enough to lose you and everything I did since that day was to get you back, to have a chance to say that I love you, to ask for a second chance..." The Dark one pleaded.

"I need some time." Neal whispered and it was obvious on his face that he was about to crack.

"I know... I... I'm going to give you two a moment alone and go see if Emma's alright, you two should talk for a while... Get to know each other." Gold suggested and Henry nodded.

* * *

**So, what did you think?**

**Emma WILL NOT leave Jefferson for Neal.**

**Review please? And tell me what you want to see happening in the later chapters.**

**More talk of Peter Pan will come.**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


	16. Chapter 16

**_Hat's off to you Swan_**

**_16_**

* * *

"So... You must be pretty mad at me right now..." Neal told his son as soon as they were alone, awkwardly standing in front of each other.

Neal still had the dream-catcher in his hand and he was unable to let it go. Suddenly, it was like the little object was as important as the son standing in front of him.

"Maybe a little bit, but I still want to get to know you. I know you could have done things differently but we're the good guys and good guys give second chances, right?" Henry replied and Neal knew that it was a hidden message.

If he wanted to deserve a second chance with his son, he needed to be ready to give one to his father. He wouldn't be able to get one without the other.

"Right... I see your mom gave you the Swan key-chain... I guess she didn't want to wear it anymore..." Neal noticed.

"She wore it as a reminder never to trust anyone ever again. When she agreed to try and open up to Jefferson, she gave it to me so I could have something of you, even if I didn't know you. She said that she wanted to believe that you would have been a good dad to me..." Henry explained as he held the little silver Swan in his hand.

"I wish I could have been there... I'm sorry."

"It's okay... You made a mistake... It might be too late for you and my mom but it's not too late for you to be my father." Henry replied wisely.

"Your mom said that you were raised by the evil Queen... How did that work out? Why aren't you still there with her? How come she let you go?" Neal asked him.

"Mom arrested her after she broke the curse and locked her up to punish her for everything she did after asking the town to vote on it. She organised a big trial and everything. It was pretty intense for a few weeks but she handled it pretty well. They all love her back home, mom's great." Henry replied with his usual cheerful smile on his face.

"She also said that she's moved on with someone..."

"Yes, she started going out with him a little bit before she broke the curse and now we all live together in his house. We're very happy. But you're still my father and I'd like you to be my dad... Or to give you the chance to be it." Henry added quickly, not wanting his father to think that he was being rejected.

"I... I think I'd like that as well. But... The one she moved on with... it's not August, is it?" Neal asked nervously, dreading the worst.

"No, August is just a friend... I mean, she's a bit mad at him right now but they're still friends. They'll work things out eventually." Henry replied and Neal nodded before they both sat down on the couch and started talking about various things.

Ever since Henry came in the room though, Neal had been looking at him, wondering why he looked so familiar, why he felt like he had seen him before. When he learned that the boy was his son, he figured it must be because of the genes they shared that he was feeling this way but now, as Henry took off his jacket and scarf to be more comfortable, it hit him like thunder and he knew that he couldn't run away, not anymore. His son was in danger and they would need his help to protect him.

"Kid, get your mom and my... dad back in right now. We need to talk." Neal exclaimed after a few minutes of them talking about favorite foods and movies, urgency in his voice.

"What's going on?" Henry asked as he walked to the window to call them back in.

"You're in danger... I think. Emma, Papa!" Neal called to make them come faster and once everyone was back inside, curious as to what was going on all of the sudden, Neal told them:

"So, you can guess that this world wasn't my first stop. If it had been, I'd be a couple of hundred years old by now. I arrived here and stayed for a few months before I ended up in Neverland to protect the family that took me in. I'll tell you more about it later but listen! Papa, Peter Pan, he had a drawing of a boy he was looking for, he called him the Truest Believer." Neal started.

"Just so we're clear, Peter Pan is evil in this story, right?" Emma asked Gold who nodded.

"When you came in with Henry, he looked familiar but I didn't remember why then you said he was my son and I figured it must be why I was feeling like I had seen him before. But then he took off his jacket and scarf and I remembered... He's the boy from Pan's drawing. I saw it only a couple of times but I'd bet my hand on it. In the drawing, he had the same jacket and the exact same scarf. Pan is looking for Henry and it's not to play hide and seek. Or it will be his own sick and deadly version of it." Neal exclaimed, trying to be as clear as possible.

"But why? What does he need him for?" Emma asked, hugging her son to her side.

"My father became Peter Pan to live forever and never grow old. To stay young. He takes his power from the Island but even Neverland's power is not endless. He probably knew from the beginning that his miracle solution wouldn't last forever and he's looking for a way to recharge the Island so he can take more power from it and live even longer." Gold guessed.

"But why me? What's so special about me?" Henry asked confused.

"What isn't, kid?" Emma chuckled and Henry looked at her questionably.

"What do you mean?" Henry asked her.

"Think about it Henry. You've always believed in the curse, you always knew that there was something wrong with our town and our lives, even when Regina had everyone making you think that you were crazy. On top of that, you're the first born of the savior who was the product of True Love and is a first born herself. Even your father was a first born... the first born of two first born, one of them being pretty powerful..." Gold explained thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I may not know much about magic yet but I do know that first born are always important, Blue told me that in one of our lessons." Emma nodded.

"And he's Peter Pan's great-grandson as well, it has to be important too." Neal added.

"What can we do?" Henry asked.

"I'll call Belle. She needs to bring a few things from my shop over to Blue. Together they'll be able to place a strong clocking spell over the town. Don't worry, we'll still be able to come in, but nobody else will." Gold decided as he took his cell phone out and walked in the other room to call in silence.

"Who's Belle?" Neal asked.

"You're dad's girlfriend." Emma replied as she hugged Henry closer and assured him that he'd be fine.

* * *

**So, the Peter Pan threat has been identified. What will they do now?**

**Don't forget to review please, I always like to know what you want to see happening in the future and what you liked and hated about each chapters.  
**

**I answer to big reviews!**

**I honestly don't know how much longer this will last because I only have material for one more chapter. I think I'm going to take a little break (3 weeks maybe?) in my writing to try and come up with something good to continue this story, unless you think you've had enough and want it over.**

**Lorelei Candice Black**


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